


Grey Major-domo

by KannaRaimi



Category: D.Gray-man, Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: All other noahs exist within the branch families, Alois isnt important for awhile, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Hes just kinda there, Im setting up for a sequel that changes season 2 of kuroshitsuji into a modified circus arc, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kamelots are percieved as Black-European, M/M, Mentioned Pedophilia, Mentions Adam and Lulubell, Multi, Triggers, bamf allen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-06
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-08-13 09:53:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7972516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KannaRaimi/pseuds/KannaRaimi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Queen has ordered Ciel watch over the Kamelot's heir's daughter, as she shows around a Chinese princess and her staff. Little does Ciel know, house Kamelot are a clan of Noah; the anti-grimreaper. </p><p>Rhode and her butler, Allen, seem a little too interested in hanging around Phantom hive manor, isn't she engaged to Alois? (Better than it sounds, I promise)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Games & Riddles

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for giving this a chance! I know we've ALL seen about a hundred of these. 
> 
> "Allen joins Ciel's staff and falls for Sebastian. Somehow he, a normal human, can keep up with Sebastian and he accepts Ciel and Sebastian contract extra easy."
> 
> This isn't that. Trust me, plot happens. Otherwise this would be a yullen.

Ciel was floating. Floating through nothingness. A vast, colorless, nothingness. 

**“If you once reject the faith, you can** **_never_ ** **pass through the gates of heaven.”**

“Would someone who believes in god summon you?”

A chuckle, followed by the sound of feathers fluttering. The vast nothingness became darkness. A darkness so deep, it seemed to Ciel that light had never been to this place.

**“I'll ask you again: do you wish to make a contract?”**

“Don't be tedious! Just execute the contract, and grant my wish.”

* * *

 

**“It's time to wake up, young master.”**

Bright light beat against Ciel’s eyelids. Turning his head, Ciel could see the back of his butler pinning back the drapes to his bedroom window.

**“ Today's Breakfast is poached salmon and mint salad. To go with it, we have either toast, scones, or pain de campagne. What would you like?”**

“A scone.”

Ciel yawned as he sat up in his Queen mattress. Bawling his fists around the cuff of his sleeve, Ciel stretched before stilling to allow his butler to dress him for the day. As his eyes focused, Ciel listened to Sebastian rattle of today's itinerary.

**“After breakfast is a visit with Mr.Hugh, the authority on the history of the Roman Empire. Mr.Damiano from the Poseidon Company will be here after lunch.**

“Ah, yes. The man I have manufacturing stuffed animals for me in India?”

**“I'm told he is Italian. We will prepare to offer him the utmost possible hospitality.”**

Sebastian placed his teacup on the bed table, and knelt to put on Ciel’s shoes and socks. Ciel picked up his teacup and sampled the aroma before sipping it.

“This aroma… Earl Grey?”

**“Yes, from Jacksons of Piccadilly. I shall await you at the dining table.”**

Putting down his teacup, Ciel reached over to his bedside drawer and grabbed one of his darts. Ciel aimed it at his butler's head and threw it at full strength.

Without turning around or stepping to the side, Sebastian tilted his head and caught the dart as it passed over his shoulder.

**“Yes, young master? Let's save the games for later.”**

“Yes, I suppose you're right Sebastian.”

**“Ah yes, before I forget. The Queen's butler arrived early this morning with a letter. I was told to have you open it tonight.”**

With that last message delivered, Sebastian left the room. Ciel sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

_ ‘What will it be this time? What last minute mission will I be sent on tonight?’ _

* * *

 

_ “Aaaaaaagh! Mama mia!” _

“What hideous screams. He sounds like a pig being led to slaughter.”

Ciel giggled, staring at the Italian limp across the yard.

“What arrogance, first he sell my factory and then he dares to ask for more money. Did he think to retain my trust?”

Ciel moved his piece to the finish line of the board game, and sighed. Knocking the piece over with the tip of his finger, Ciel solemnly stared at the moon.

“I'm afraid once something is truly lost, you may never recover it.”

A knock at the door dragged Ciel’s full attention back to the present. Humming in acknowledgement, Ciel faced the door as his butler entered the room. 

**“Young master.”**

Sebastian placed the letter from the queen in the game board and backed up a few steps. Ciel sliced the Queen's emblem off the flap with the knife he keeps in his garter belt.

The envelope held a single sheet of paper titled  _ ‘Dog House At Eleven’. _

* * *

 

 

** _Dog House At Eleven_ **

 

_ The spider does her dirty work, _

_ The dog cleans up her lawn, _

_ The rat deals with politics, _

_ The Queen makes people fawn. _

 

_ The rat has made a foreign friend, _

_ And this the Queen enjoys, _

_ She sent the rat out overseas, _

_ And tomorrow he sends back toys. _

 

_ A princess of the Eastern winds, _

_ Her guard, the violent knight, _

_ A Bookman by the name of Lavi, _

_ And a pair afraid of sunlight. _

 

_ Spider and rat have met before, _

_ Dog and rat aswell, _

_ Spider and dog have yet to meet, _

_ The Queen hopes all goes well. _

 

* * *

 

 

Ciel pinched the bridge of his nose and sighs. Refilling the letter, Ciel wordlessly hands it to Sebastian. 

_ ‘She wrote this herself. None of her staff would dare write such drivel. It is a strenuous process, that only she enjoys.’ _

**“It seems we are to play host tomorrow, might i suggest a luncheon? The guests are notoriously eccentric, and will most likely not behave for dinner.”**

“You know them then? Explain.”

**The rat, from her Majesty’s poem, is in reference to the house Kamelot. They run Britain's most successful clothing company, and are connected to other major industries by way of their talented family memebers.”**

**“We've met Earl Kamelot, just this last year, when his granddaughter, Rhode, designed our Halloween line. It was brief and you did not like their energy. If I remember correctly, you called her muderous after she stabbed her dog with her umbrella.”**

Ciel clenched his fists and stared down his grinning butler. Sneering at Sebastian, Ciel scoffed.

“I hold the nickname,  _ ‘The Queen's WatchDog’ _ . All violent acts done to dogs, become acts of disrespect in my presence. I should have scorned her, but her father is an important man.”

**"Coincidentally, she is the fiance of the spider. Earl Trancy is a child of only 13 years, he was adopted into the family a mere year before the old head died."**

“Suspicious.”

**“True. However the last Earl Trancy was a known pedophile. Many believe that his death was a just murder, and that Alois deserves the title. He has done a fine job running the Trancy entertainment and management company.”**

**“Entertainment for every class has been doubled in the two years he's been in charge of the company. He's given a voice to different types of entertainment, from both the underground, and overseas."**

**"However he is a bit unstable and sometimes confuses love with sex and violence. It is said that Miss Rhode demanded their engagement after a dance, between the two led to a fight.”**

With a bow, Sebastian turned to put away the boardgame he had packed up while speaking with Ciel. Placing the box back in its drawer, Sebastian noticed how tired his young master appeared. Dusting his hands, Sebastian turned back toward Ciel.

“And I am to have these ruffians in my home! These foreign guest had better be worth it. Have my staff on standby, in case I am attacked.”

**“Of course my lord. Would you like a bath now? The water is ready, and your clothes are prepared.”**


	2. Amused

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allen and the butler also moved aside, right as a blonde boy burst through the door.
> 
> “Darling betrothed! It has been much too long! Won't you dance with me, once more?”
> 
> The boy passionately shouted as he aimed a well formed kick at Rhode’s face. Road grinned and caught his foot, tossing him onto his arse haphazardly.  
> \----------  
> Rhode, sending Lenalee a charming smile, turned back to Ciel who had just finished reading the letter. Ciel’s face was furious, and she drank in every inch of it. Sebastian and Tanaka left to grab the lunch carts.
> 
> “Now, now, Earl Phantomhive. The Queen entrusted us to you, it would be foolish to raise a fuss.”
> 
> “Alois and his staff will not be joining you.”
> 
> “Of course not. That would not help the princess’ condition.

Tanaka sipped his tea and watched as the more unreliable staff members rush around trying to clean the manor and prepare to guard the young master during his lunch meeting.

“Do you think I should wear me glasses Bard? Finny, be a dear and take this China to Sebastian. Bard you should finish that pudding up.”

“Yeah , you’re a maid and need to look charming.” “Of course Mey-Rin, you can count on me!”

Tanaka took a long sip of his tea, and counted to ten. The resounding crash coming from the dining area, made Tanaka smile, and meant that Sebastian was on his way.

“Ho ho ho!”

The rant that followed was both entertainment for Tanaka and educational for the trio, as Sebastian revealed that the afternoon guests that were coming were incredibly dangerous and would not mind that they were visibly on guard.

“Is Tanaka gonna do anyt’ing today or are you just gonna be with us today?”

**“That was incredibly rude of you, Mey-Rin. Tanaka is currently conserving his energy for this afternoon. He will be on full guard as well, this afternoon.”**

“Ho ho ho.”

* * *

 

“Allen, when will we be arriving?”

Allen, whose eyes had been shut for most of the ride, sat up and looked out the window. Surprising the long-haired samurai who had been sure that the moyashi had been dead asleep since the moment they took off from the port.

“We have already arrived at the Trancy Manor, so I believe only an hour or so until we reach the Phantomhive Estate.”

Rhode giggled at her butler's blank face, and rapidly clapped her hands together with joy. Kicking her feet, Rhode watched her, inappropriately short, dress crinkle around her knees.

“I must admit, I am most interested in getting to wear the short skirts you have worn all year.”

Road grinned at the Asian teen, while her guard grimaced. Allen had reclosed his eyes and was probably content to ignore them until called upon again.

“They are most inappropriate, and should only be worn within the confines of your home but I am a bit stubborn, so as long as I don't wear them at a ball I am fine. You have political immunity, so I can dress you up however I want Lenalee.”

The carriage stopped and Allen disappeared, only to reappear on the other side of the door, surprising the samurai who had been zoning out the window. Allen helped Rhode and Lenalee out the carriage, but was scorned when he offered his hand to Kanda.

Chuckling, Allen went to open the second carriage. After helping the redhead out, Allen offered two pitch black umbrellas to a pale couple and then ordered them to flank the four already walking to the door.

As they reached the front door of the Trancy Manor, Rhode signaled for the group to stop at the base of the stairs while Allen knocked on the door. Within moments the door was yanked open, and three knives were thrown directly at Allen.

Laughing, Allen caught them all and began to juggle them on the tips of his index fingers. Kanda unsheathed his sword and dropped into a guarded stance, warily watching Allen smile whilst juggle knives.

“The triplets, young Miss? I believe Krory and Miranda are acquainted with them.”

Road hummed and snapped her fingers; and the two pale staff members disappeared and reappeared with three butlers between them.

Allen quickly chucked a knife at the heads of each butlers, who caught them while staring at the Asian guests curiously. Lenalee fidgeted restlessly and Kanda was more on guard than before, having recognised the butlers were skilled.

Before Lavi could ask what was going on, another butler and a maid appeared. Allen grinned at the butler as he kissed the hand of the maid. The maid curtsied to Rhode and Lenalee and moved to the side.

Allen and the butler also moved aside, right as a blonde boy burst through the door.

“Darling betrothed! It has been much too long! Won't you dance with me, once more?”

The boy passionately shouted as he aimed a well formed kick at Rhode’s face. Road grinned and caught his foot, tossing him onto his arse haphazardly.

“I'll gladly play with you after we go see the Earl Phantomhive. I see Hannah has taught you some new tricks, you should show me them later.”

“I'm _sure_ Earl Phantomhive will be so pleased by that.”

**“My highness, there are other guests, please follow decorum for a few minutes.”**

Said the maid, Hannah, giggling as she dusted off Alois. As she righted his clothes, Kanda and Lenalee relaxed a bit in confusion.

Alois skipped over to Rhode and bowed to kiss her hand. Rhode, hand already positioned to receive the kiss, mock curtsied with a grin.

“Alois this is Princess Lenalee Lee of China and her guard Samurai Kanda Yu of Japan. Lenalee, Kanda. This is my betrothed, Earl Trancy, _the Queen's spider._ ”

“It is an honor to meet you Trancy-juéyé.”

Lenalee bowed deeply, hands folded into a perfect lotus. As she rights herself, she sees Kand irritably jerk his head in Alois’ direction and stomps on his toes.

“Àifūxù they are our guides, our allies, and our new friends.”

Face red, Kanda huffed but bowed deeply in Alois’ direction as well.

“Gomenasai Imoto-sama. I am most honored to meet you Alois-san. Watashitachi no sewa o shite kudasai!”

Kanda recovered and pivoted around so as to not see the anyone's reactions, although Lavi swore he saw Kanda peeking at them from the corner of his eye.

Lenalee ecstatically exchanged looks with a surprised Lavi, while Rhode tried not to laugh. When Hannah finished translating, Alois bowed low in order to keep himself from laughing.

Allen checked the time and cleared his throat, causing Claude to check the time as well. The two butlers looked towards their masters and waited for instruction.

It came in the form of Rhode tapping her forehead. Allen then hummed a tune, that Road joined in on and a white diamond appeared. Lavi began sketching it immediately, as he was bad at descriptive text.

“You are all familiar with the ark? We have quite the distance to go. It is about a 45 minute ride with Claude, Hannah, and the triplets on board.”

* * *

 

**“Young master. They have arrived.”**

Ciel turned towards the entrance hall windows, where Sebastian is standings and looked for a carriage. Not finding one, Ciel turned to glare at his butler.

Only for Sebastian to point at the giant diamond desending from the sky, directly in front of his door steps.

“Tsk. Call my staff here now and open the door before they knock.”

Sebastian nodded and called forth Bard, Tanaka and Finian. After they got there places, Sebastian looked at a hole in the ceiling and cleared his throat. When he received three knocks, Sebastian rushed over and opened the door.

In the garden, not even attempting to go near the door, stood a vary array of people. Sebastian stood in the open doorway and gave his most pleasant smile. Ciel walked to the door and motioned them inside with a wave of his hand. Ciel sat in the center of the room, as indicted by Sebastian, and gestured to the rest of the table add the guests walked past Sebastian.

“Please sit and introduce yourself. It is not often the Queen demands I meet her other _“children”._ ”

Two girls and a boy sat, the others posted up against the wall. The shortest girl in the group giggled, slightly raising her pumpkin umbrella. Her purple hair rested in a short bob around her brown face, unlike the spikes she wore when they last met.

“I'm sure you remember me Ciel, as I tend to leave impressions on people.  I am Rhode Kamelot, youngest daughter of the heir to house Kamelot the Queen's rats, and fiancé to Earl Trancy.”

The blond boy grinned and stood from his seat. Grabbing Ciel and pulling a knife he giggled before narrowly dodging Tanaka’s knife. Dancing away, he tossed the knife at Bard who blocked it with his serving tray.

“I am the great Earl Trancy, but you may call me Aloise. I am the Queen's spider,  and I would love to play with you soon. I know a few things I'd like to do with you.”

Licking his lips, Alois seductively slid back into his chair. Lenalee, trying to hide her laughter, stood and curtsied.

“I am called Lenalee Lee. I am the princess of a new country in western Asia, called the Black Order. We have made treaties with the Vatican and other asian kingdoms. I have come to be shown around by Rhode on behalf of my country.”

Looking up at a small hole in the cieling, Lenalee beamed and waved before sitting back down.

“I hope to formally meet you as well. Will you come down here?”

Ciel and his staff jumped, but the only guests that reacted in shock were Alois and Kanda. Sebastian sighed and nodded at Mey-Rin who ran down the stairs and smiled, confused, at Lenalee.

Lavi rose and winked at Mey-Rin.

“I'm Lavi, a traveling Bookman. I am merely an observer. I will introduce the others standing against the wall, as it would be rude for them to introduce themselves to you as an equal.”

“Mr. Samurai is called Kanda and he is Lena-lady's bodyguard. The Albino is Allen, and he is Rhode’s personal butler. The pale couple are Krory and Miranda, official staff of the house of Kamelot. The dark haired man in glasses is Claude, Alois' head butler. The gorgeous woman is Alois' head maid, Hannah. The triplets are Alois' servants, from left to right, Canterbury, Thompson, and Timber.”

Ciel nodded and introduced his staff. Sebastian waited for his introduction before he left to go get the tea cart. Returning he was met with Allen and Claude who silently communicated that they disapproved of him pouring their masters tea.

Sebastian allowed them to pour the teacups and the three of them quietly worked in tandom to serve the tea. Ciel shocked at how quickly the three moved, glanced questionably at the other two nobles who merely nodded at him with matching chesire grins.

Ignoring the couple with a click of his tongue, Ciel blew on his tea cup. Allen gave a teacup full of sugar to Lavi, and a cup with some tea leaves in it to Lenalee. Claude gave a regular cup to Rhode but cut Allen’s finger, who smeared blood around the edge of Alois' cup.

Ciel watched, transfixed, as Alois licked a spot clean and then took a sip of tea. Sebastian turned to Claude with wide eyes as he whipped a thin cloth out of his pocket. Taking Allen’s finger, that was already half healed, and wrapping it tightly.

**“I would suggest that our guests remember to keep themselves respectable. The Phantomhive staff is not familiar with such eccentricity.”**

Ciel glared at Sebastian but nodded his agreement. Placing his own tea cup back on the table,  he cleared his throat.

“I do believe there was spars to be a point to today's meeting. What do you require my aid in? “

Rhode grinned from behind her cup, placing it down she held out her hand and Allen placed a letter in it. Sliding it to Ciel, Rhode laughed.

“The Queen has suggested that I host the princess, however Lenalee is a priestess and cannot handle the Kamelot's manor for more than a day. Her _unique disposition_ leads her to feel discomfort there, a feeling duplicated to a lesser extent at the Trancy manor.”

Rhode subverted Ciel’s skeptical look by grinning at the princess. Lenalee blushed, staring at her tea cup, clenching the side without the handle she began to explain herself.

“The unique auras given off by their servants, and _your butler_ , distressed me. However the aura of _special_ people such as your staff remind me of my own, including my bodyguard Kanda. This skill is how I knew _Meirin_ was in the cieling.”

Rhode, sending Lenalee a charming smile, turned back to Ciel who had just finished reading the letter. Ciel’s face was furious, and she drank in every inch of it. Sebastian and Tanaka left to grab the lunch carts.

“Now, now, Earl Phantomhive. The Queen entrusted us to you, it would be foolish to raise a fuss.”

“Alois and his staff will not be joining you.”

“Of course not. That would not help the princess’ condition. They only joined, so that you may met them. It would be most suspicious otherwise, after all I am Alois’ fiancé. How could you host me and _not_ met Alois, that would have tarnished my name.”

“ _I would not dare._ I am pleased to have met you all and an honored the Queen has entrusted me with your presence.”

Tense smiles were shared across the table while Sebastian and Tanaka return with champagne and trays filled with shrimp, Alfredo pasta, and broccoli.

Claude served Alois, and Hannah served Rhode. Tanaka served Lavi, and Allen served Lenalee. After everyone had their meals, Ciel dismissed the cummulative staff to eat in the kitchen.

Sighing sadly, Ciel thought about how busy he was about to become. Running out the table conversations happening in front of him.

_‘What will I do when Lizzy finds out?’_


	3. Strongest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another round and it was Ciel’s turn once more. He stood and strides over to the pool table, preparing to hit the cue ball.
> 
> “Now it's time to put this game to rest. When will you secure the payment?”
> 
> “Tonight.” “You've passed your turn twice and now you're after the game in one move?!”
> 
> “Of course."
> 
> “Careful, greed will be your undoing.”  
> \-------------------------------------------------------------  
> “We're not kidding! Shit! Can't this stupid thing go faster?! They can't be human, they'll ki…”
> 
> There was a loud crunch heard through the phone, that reverberated around the room. Some strange wet noises, and then a loud scream. The shocked silent faces amused Ciel, he couldn't help but to taunt them with a laugh.
> 
> “Unfortunately for you, this is where your game ends. I am Earl Phantomhive, king of games, and I always win.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't write out descriptive paragraphs for sounds like I usually would. I got lazy and and RP'd the sound affects in bold.
> 
> I'm sorry, I info dumped again. But the lore was lacking up til this point, you had no idea what Allen was. It was a necessary evil, forgive me.

“Bloody hell. This wire’s done for.”

Bard whined, kneeling on the floor. Mey-Rin, Miranda, Krory and Finny watched diligently as Bard inspected the chewed on wire, no longer hidden under the floorboard.

“Oh, not the rats again!”

Mey-Rin sighed, sitting back on her ankles in defeat. Finny clenched his hands into fists, and Bard ground his teeth against his cigarette.

“This is gettin’ bloody ridiculous. I heard that rats were plaguing London, but I never expected them to be such a problem this far out of the city.”

Immediately following that declarative statement, a rat ran up to the open floorboard and sniffed at it. The five of the screamed in unison, and Finny picked up a pillar, and it's bust, and lobbed it at the mouse.

“I've got ya' now, Mr. Rat!”

**_Boom. Crash._ **

“Looks like it got away from me. Haha.”

“What da’ hell are ya’ laughin’ at? Ya nearly killed us, ya bloody idiot!”

* * *

 

Inside the dark pool room, Ciel sighed at the commotion coming from his servants in the hall.

“Quite the commotion going on out there. Seems you're experiencing a rat problem as well.”

“Speaking of which,how long will you allow the vermin to run rampant. They sneak into our pantries and spread disease. Someone ought to take care of them.”

Madame Red smirked from her post on the wall, but it was Lau who spoke first from the lounge chair he was reclining in.

“And _someone_ will. He's just allowing them to gather while he observes them.”

“Indeed. He prefers to settle things with one blow. Will you pass on this turn as well, Lord Phantomhive?”

Ciel, with a smug little smirk, nodded an affirmative to Madame Red while tapping his cue stick.

“It is not my policy to hit balls I will not sink.”

“That’s all good and well, but when will you handle the problem?”

“Any time you like. The rats will soon come looking for their forbidden cheese, and I hold the key to the storehouse. Even so this promises to be an exhausting task.”

Another round and it was Ciel’s turn once more. He stood and strides over to the pool table, preparing to hit the cue ball.

“Now it's time to put this game to rest. When will you secure the payment?”

“Tonight.” “You've passed your turn twice and now you're after the game in one move?!”

“Of course. I'll prepare a carriage for you, we can even supply entertainment.”

“Careful, greed will be your undoing.”

With one swift thrust, Ciel sent the cue spinning and pocketed all the remaining balls at once. Ciel grinned and relaxed back into his seat, crossing his legs with an audible click of his heels.

“Am I undone?”

* * *

 

**“Today's brew is a darjeeling from Fortnum & Mason.”**

Lau pulled the cup up to his and Ran-Mao’s faces, and inhaled deeply.

“Smells lovely. Tea can be quite divine when skillfully brewed.”

Ignoring the compliment, Sebastian continues to pour cups of tea, but Madame Red snaps her attention to her starstruck butler.

“Grell.”

Grell flounders around for a moment, and then stands at attention.

“H-h-h...ah, yes?”

“Learn a thing or two, from Sebastian.”

Grell visibly wilts,and stares sadly at the ground.

“Y-yes Madame.”

“Just look at him,” said Madame Red as she reached over and stroked Sebastian’s arse through his tailcoat, “this physique. You should quit this job out in the country, and come work for me in the city.”

Ciel coughs loud into his hand, gripping his cane tightly with the other.

“Madame Red.”

“Oh, I apologize. I couldn't help myself, doctor's habit. He looked to be in the need of a physical.”

Lau places his cup on the table to interrupt Madame Red, and to garner Ciel’s attention. Moving to Ciel's chair, and leaning over his shoulder, Lau drifted his hand down Ciel’s chair.

“So, do you believe that one of your guests today was the drug trafficker?”

“Ah yes. Why not leave the drug trafficker to Lau? A rat knows best where the rats nest is, after all.”

Placing his palm on Ciel's head, Lau leaned further into Ciel’s personal space.

“I am but a tame guinea pig. If the young lord instructs me not to act, I will take no unnecessary actions. He need only give the order.”

With every breath, Lau leaned in a bit closer. Until his face was but a hair’s breadth away from Ciel's. Madame Red reacted immediately after Lau finished speaking, snatching Ciel out of his seat, and away from Lau, by his head.

“KEEP YOUR FILTHY PAWS OF MY DARLING NEPHEW!!!”

Lau sighed and relaxed back into a casual stance against the chair.

“You wound me. I would never paw at the earl here.”

“ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT IF HE WEREN'T IN HIS OWN HOME, YOU WOULD ATTEMPT TO ASSAULT HIM!?!?”

Releasing Ciel, Madame Red clenched her hands into fists and screeched at Lau. Lau casually leaned backwards, hands in mock surrender, with a mischievous grin.

Ciel took advantage of his guests distraction,  to slip out of the room. Walking down his hallway, rubbing his aching head, he was suddenly picked up by Miranda, who jumped to the ceiling, just as his servants haphazardly ran past.

As soon as she touched the ground, Miranda silently curtsied and disappeared. Ciel turned around and Sebastian was already there.

**“Today's dessert is a deep-dish pie, prepared with fresh apples and raisins. Would you like to eat with your guests?”**

“Bring it to my study. I can't deal with them anymore today.”

Ciel turned to walk away briskly, while Sebastian bowed in acquiescence. Halfway down the hall Ciel's servants stampede around the corner, Miranda appeared again and this time extended a hand.

Ciel accepted it with a sigh, and once more found himself on the ceiling. When the danger had passed underneath them, Miranda let go of the banister and they quickly descended. Miranda curtsied lower and once more disappeared, and Ciel took off to his study.

Sebastian, noting his master's fatigue, sighed and leapt at the mice that were causing the scene. Snapping their necks, and tossing them in Tanaka’s net in the blink of an eye. Dusting off his gloves, Sebastian glared at the Phantomhive trio.

**“That’s enough of that; stop playing and get back to work. You've already put the master in harm's way twice; if it weren't for Miss Kamelot's maid, you fools might have ran over the young lord.”**

“Yes, sir.”

The trio chorused, with lowered heads.

Ciel leaned against his study’s door and let out a breath of fatigued relief. Closing his exposed eye, Ciel visibly relaxed against the door.

“Finally some peace and quie…” A strong hand pressed a sweet smelling handkerchief over his nose and mouth, and held it there with bruising force.

Ciel opened his eye and was greeted by the scarred Italian man he had beat in pool earlier that day. Glaring at the man,  Ciel attempted to bite the man's hand but the man had a death grip on his jaw.

As Ciel was blacking out of consciousness, he swore he saw Krory standing in the shadows of his study.

* * *

 

Sebastian knocked at Ciel’s private study with a cart full enough to last until dinner.

**“Young master, I've brought your pie and afternoon tea.”**

Opening the door, Sebastian gasped at the carnage that was the newly ransacked study.

**“What a shame. The tea will go to waste now.”**

As he turns, Krory is standing there hands behind his back. Sebastian lifts an eyebrow and the pale man nods, before turning around a gliding to the sword room. Sebastian follows him, with a content little smile, into the converted dojo.

Krory led Sebastian, not to Rhode as Sebastian expected, but to Lenalee. Lenalee, wearing a lightweight green hakama and white keikogi, was fixing her pigtails whilst doing a split. Noting their arrival, Lenalee stood up and frowned at Sebastian.

“I no longer sense Ciel on the property. He and another departed at the same time, however Krory informs me that he did not leave with his choice intact. I believe here you call it freewill.”

Sebastian nodded and bowed low, thanking the princess for her concern. Assuring her that he had it under control, Sebastian briskly walked back to the study. On his way there, he notices Allen appear behind him. Picking up the pie, Sebastian headed towards the kitchen.

Before he could reach there, the trio came flying down the hall crying his name in fear. Both Sebastian and Allen both made eye contact with the sniper, and chose.

Sebastian knocked Mey-Rin onto himself and balanced the pie, while Allen pushed Bard backwards and fell on Finny. The bust explodes but nobody is injured.

Brushing themselves off, the staff righted themselves while Madame Red as well as Lau and Ran-Mao rush around the corner. After telling Bard to _clean up_ the pie and reassuring Madame Red that everything is fine, Sebastian quietly read the ransom note and grinned at Allen.

**“I take it you are to come with me? Let us go then or, at this rate, dinner will be late.”**

* * *

 

“The policeman of England's underworld. One of the nobleman who have done the royal family's dirty work for generations. The Queen's guard dog, tasked to bite to death the enemies that might oppose her. Just how many nicknames do you have and how many families have you crushed, _Ciel Phantomhive_?”

Ranted the scarred Italian man, in his thick Italian accent, as he prepared a cigar. Ciel, battered and bloody, listened from his spot against the wall. With his hands tied behind his back, Ciel was at a clear disadvantage and needed to keep calm.

_‘My servants will proceed as instructed, and Sebastian will not let me die. He wants this soul too much.’_

“I thought it would be you, Azzurro Vanel of the Ferro family. You shame your family name.”

“Come now, little Phantomhive, it's tough for the Italian mafia in this country. You Englishmen have tea-encrusted brains.”

Dropping into a squat in front of Ciel, Azzurro lit his cigar and took a long drag of it. Blowing the smoke into Ciel’s face with a grin, Azzurro leaned back to brag.

“It is difficult to penetrate those small minds of yours, so we have to think outside the box to make money. So we _found_ a drug trade.”

Ciel looked down and closed his eye, knowing full well that he was about to be hit again but not caring enough to not say it.

“ Pharmacy Act of 1868 lifted Opium as a restricted substance, it is the Queen's decree. And I will eliminate the drug and the vermin who profit from it.”

Azzurro sagged inward in frustration, squeezing his temples with one hand. Dragging his palm down his face, Azzurro whined.

“Ugh! This is why I hate all you Englishmen. The Queen this… The Queen that… You talk like this woman is your own mother.”

Leaning forward into his personal space,  Azzurro grabbed Ciel's chin. Bringing his face closer and pressing their foreheads together, Azzurro growled at Ciel.

“You line your pockets while pretending you're better than the rest of us, but in the end were birds of a feather. Let's try to get along. ”

“I've left orders with my servants to leave your storehouse key with the authorities, should I not return. Don't kid yourself,  I have no interest in getting along with a filthy rat.”

Azzuro sucked his teeth and shot to his feet, aiming his pistol point blank at Ciel's head.

“You brat, don't underestimate an adult! Where is the key, tell us soon or your servants will start dying off one by one.”

Ciel, pleased with getting under his skin, tilted his head and smiled serenely.

“Oh I think they'll be quite alright, but you had better hope your lapdogs know how to fetch.”

A hard kick to Ciel's face, and Azzurro rushed to his telephone. Stomping on his cigar in his haste.

“Did you hear that, negotiations broke down. Kill them.”

A shot was heard, quickly followed by intense swearing.

_“Sir. They saw us. We have to go, the servants all got that ‘ boss’ right hand’ look before the butler calmed them down.”_

The phone crackled and someone in the background cursed again. An engine started up, but as it did the background man screamed.

_“Sir. There's something following us!”_

Azzurro laughed and accused the hitmen of getting scarred by bears, to the amusement of the surrounding mafia members.

_“We're not kidding! Shit! Can't this stupid thing go faster?! They can't be human, they'll ki…”_

There was a loud crunch heard through the phone,  that reverberated around the room. Some strange wet noises, and then a loud scream. The shocked silent faces amused Ciel, he couldn't help but to taunt them with a laugh.

“That's too bad. It sounds like your little game of fetch has ended.”

Azzurro freaked and began to stomp on Ciel’s fragile body. When Ciel was down and breathing hard, Azzuro snatched back the phone.

“You listen here. If one of you don't pick up this phone right now, I will kill you mongrels.”

**_“Hello. Pardon me, but I represent the Phantomhive estate. Would my master happen to be with you?”_ **

Azzuro shook as his eyes stared at Ciel’s limp form. Beads of sweat dripped down his body as he chocked on his own tongue.

**_“Hello?”_ **

The silence in the room was stark. A man had killed his hitmen, after chasing down their automobile, and didn't even sound out of breath.

**_“Is anyone there?”_ **

_‘My hitmen had said they, so there was more than one of these monsters. Could they take him out. Would sheer numbers be enough?’_

**_“Hello?”_ **

Azzurro stuttered, desperately trying to get out a threatening sentence and failing. That moment felt like forever, as he struggled to speak, until Ciel let out a very breathy cry to signal his status.

“Woof.”

**_“Very good young master. I will come to get you very soon.”_ **

“Listen up! The Phantomhive boy has help on the way. Tighten up security, protect the gate, don't let a single rat through!”

Commanded Azzurro, not letting his panic show. Relaxing into his position, Azzurro watched out the window at his army if men.

**“My, what a fine mansion.”**

Sebastian smirked while readjusting the serving tray he carried with him. Allen took off his gloves, exposing his black hand, and shoved them in his back pocket before responding.

“It is but a large house, not as tasteful nor as culturally rich as a manor.”

Staring down, Azzurro made eye contact with a tall adult butler and a short albino young butler, standing on the wrong side of the gate and his men. Panicking, his men spun around in shock, and he slammed the window shut.

**“Ah, you can speak. I wondered, and I mean no offence, if perhaps you were inbred and could not speak.”**

The young albino butler laughed, humorlessly, and leapt into the air, skin turning a bit grey before fading back into a nearly translucent pale, just as the men began to shoot at them.

“Inbreeding isn't possible. Our blood is much too pure, surely you know this much.”

Allen hopped from shoulder to shoulder, snapping necks as he and Sebastian bantered. Sebastian frowned as he ran through the horde of me, snapping their bones with small taps.

**“You sounded a bit angelic there. I apologize if I have insulted you, for that were not my intention. Though last I recall, Noah’s could not scar, if you don't mind my asking.”**

Sebastian turned from the mass of humans, dead and wounded, and held up Allen’s gloves. Tapping his face, Sebastian’s eyes turned an otherworldly pink.

**“I will not take kindly to threats against my master. If you are an Angel and the Noah’s have hid you, then someone wants you dead.”**

Allen snatched back his gloves and aggressively put them on. Snarling, his silver eyes turned gold and his pale skin turned ash grey.

“My _mother_ was an Angel. He was none too pleased with my inheritance, when I turned him into an Akuma at 11. He cursed me with Eden’s promise _directly on my face_ , and that activated my Angel genes, leaving no way for the Noahs to publicly reclaim me as family. I am a hybrid who has no home; I am not a threat to your master lest my _cousin,_ Miss Kamelot, order me to be so.”

Sebastian relaxes, his eyes turn back red, and turns to open the front door. Allen relaxed and faded back to a translucent albino.

As Sebastian cut down the guards in the entrance hall with cutlery, Allen summoned his cloak made of feathers and flew to the window he had seen Azzurro in.

Entering the room, Allen’s left eye turned black with red pupils. He changed the memories of everyone in the room, save Ciel, to think he belonged there, sitting with Ciel.

“Allen? What did you do?”

“A trick, Earl Phantomhive. They will not react to me now, I can keep you company.”

Ciel snarled, face aching, at the grinning albino. Watching the older boy’s scarred eye change back, Ciel had a realization.

“Can you use that trick to make them think I am someone else, so that they set me free?”

“I can. However I was only instructed by my mistress to tag along. I helped earlier out of my own free will; but thanks to your butler, I have no such desire any longer.”

Ciel’s face scrunched up in distaste. Observing Allen’s relaxed posture and tense smile, Ciel understood.

“He is rude, yes. However he is very useful, the same way, I'd imagine, you are to Road.”

Allen hummed in amusement, as Sebastian burst elegantly through the door. The two made eye contact, and Sebastian’s eyes narrowed before moving back to Azzurro.

**“I have come to retrieve my master.”**

Azzurro sneered when Sebastian bowed, pointing his pistol at him.

“Is this some kind of joke?  I was expecting a giant, but instead I get a dandy in a tailcoat. Who are you? There’s no way that you're just a butler.”

Sebastian grins and tilts his head.

 **“No sir. You see, I am simply one** **_hell_ ** **of a butler. I promise.”**

“Yea sure,” Azzurro laughs, “Regardless, I don't plan on fighting you. Not yet.”

Azzurro walled right past Allen and places his pistol right against Ciel’s forehead. Sebastian’s smile drops into a sad surprised expression.

“But you better have what I asked for!  You better have the goddamn key!”

 **“Of course,”** Sebastian pulls the key from his shirt pocket, **“It's right her-”**

**Bang! Bangbangbangbangbang!**

Ciel startled at the sight of his head butler being repeatedly shot to death. Azzurro’s awkward laughter filled the room.

“Sorry dandy, I really am, but I win this game. There was no way I was going up against Phantomhive, _Lord of the games_ , without a trump card hidden.”

Azzuro shifts his pistol and nudges Ciel's hair from in front of his eyepatch that he untied with his other hand.

“I damaged the goods a little, but I'm sure you'll still fetch a high price even in this condition. Don't worry, you have so many enemies that I doubt you'll be alive for much longer.”

“Right. I'm tired of playing around. How much longer are you going to play dead?”

Ciel scoffed, startling Azzurro. Sebastian sits up in response, further spooking Azzurro.

**“Not long.”**

“But - but you, died! This is impossible!”

Azzurro men back up, frightened, but it was too late for them.

**“Guns today are so much more reliable than they used to be. They can shoot so many more bullets than before. It took quite a bit of time to collect them, here have them back.”**

Sebastian throws the bullets back at the men who shot him, and none of them survive.

**“Oh dear, there are holes all throughout my clothes.”**

“You could have avoided that if you weren't fooling around, idiot.”

**“You look well, young master.”**

“Stay back, I'll kill him!”

**“You look like a helpless little child, all bound up like that. But I guess that's appropriate.”**

“If you come any closer, I will shoot him.”

“Can we move this along? His breath smells foul.”

**“But if I come any closer, he will shoot you.”**

“Does this mean you are negating our contact?”

**“Nothing has changed, I remain your faithful servant.”**

“What the hell are you talking about?! What is this nonsense?!”

**“Young master, haven't I taught you how to coax me into things?”**

Allen closed his left eye and leaned back, just as Ciel opened his right eye and commanded Sebastian.

**“This is an order, save me now.”**

“Shut up!!!”

Azzurro pulled the trigger with his eyes closed. Upon opening them he saw Ciel looking over his shoulder at him, still very much alive.

“What, how? That's impossible!”

**“Are you looking for this?”**

Sebastian leaned over Azzuro’s shoulder from behind, holding the bullet in between his fingers. Azzurro noted in the back of his mind that Ciel was looking at Sebastian, not at him.

**“Let me return it to you.”**

When Sebastian dropped the bullet into his pocket, Azzurro felt two hands grab his arm and violently rotate them in opposite directions. Crying in agony, Azzurro could barely make out Ciel talking from the arms of his butler.

“I must say, the game was not as fun this time around.”

Desperate, Azzurro sat up and begged.

“Don’t go! Come work for me and I'll pay you five, no ten times as much as he's paying you. You'll have all the women and liquor you'd want.”

Sebastian sat Ciel down and turned to face Azzurro. Allen appears at Ciel’s side and undoes the bondage that was keeping him hostage.

 **“Unfortunately Mr.Vanel, I have no interest in such materialistic things. I am simply one** **_hell_ ** **of a butler.”**

Sebastian let his eyes go fluorescent pink and watched as the comprehension dawned on Azzurro face.

“H-hell!”

 **“As long as my master holds the contract, I am bound to be his loyal servant. A wish, a sacrifice, and this symbol keep me bound to Lord Phantomhive, until the day I take his** **_soul._ ** **”**

Recited Sebastian, taking of his glove with his teeth. Allen leaned on the back of the chair, skin grey and eyes gold, that Ciel, bored, watched Azzurro from; sitting as if it were his throne.

  
“Unfortunately for _you_ , this is where your game ends. I am Earl Phantomhive, _king of games_ , and **I always win**.”


	4. Lizzy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ooh! I know! Why don't we have a ball?"
> 
> “A ball?! No!!!”
> 
> "You'll wear what I picked out for you, right?"
> 
> Lizzy gripped the noose around Grell neck and took off. Ciel yelled his disagreement at her quickly retreating back, to no avail.
> 
> Lenalee giggled, while Allen bit his lip and deliberately looked away. Rhode however, swooned with false attraction.
> 
> “A girl after my own heart, that one.”
> 
> “If I may, if you were to open your wardrobe, you may make fast friends yet, Miss."
> 
> “Encouraging, Allen, really encouraging. Let's give it a shot!”
> 
> Rhode skipped away, deaf to Ciel's pleas, with Lenalee close behind. Allen leaned in to whisper to Sebastian, as Ciel stomped to his room.
> 
> “Krory and Miranda have made a Ginger and Chamomile brew as well as an Orchard Fruit pie. They would like to exchange them for the Italian .”
> 
> “I see no reason to deny this trade. Master Ciel has no interest in the Italian since we used it to find the rats that were hiding out of sight.”

“Noooooooooooooooooooooooo! Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!”

Grell screamed as he desperately clung to trolley as it sped down the hall and into the dining room. Bardroy and Mey-Rin just barely dodged it, but Finny couldn't move fast enough to avoid the head on collision.

“Ow… _Hot!_ Hot, hot, hot!”

Finny screamed while hopping around blowing his shirt. Grell whined at the sight of the broken china, but then panicked at the sight of Finny. Rushing over, Grell frantically snatched a napkin from the table, taking the tablecloth as well, and patted at Finnian’s shirt.

Allen and Kanda snatched Rhode and Lenalee’s plates and cups from the table the second Grell grabbed the tablecloth, but Sebastian did not. Ciel sighed as his food was swiped from him, and unceremoniously clumped together at the end of the table. 

Allen placed Rhode’s food back on the table in front of her, signaling to Kanda that it was safe to do the same. Bard hobbled over to Ciel and bent down to speak quietly.

“Young master, why did you agree to take in such a useless idiot?”

“Are  _ you _ really one to talk? It was a miscalculation. I assumed  _ Sebastian _ would be the only one affected by  **him** , I never thought  _ I _ would be inconvenienced as well.”

Tanaka, drinking his tea, laughs from his corner of the room, while the Phantomhive trio glare in unison at a whimpering Grell,  who is being pelted with pieces of Rhode’s crumpet. Kanda raises a brow at the half Japanese butler, but is ignored. 

“I have no idea how I could repay you. Wait! I know; I could kill myself and rid you of my presence. I shall atone with my death.”

Grell pulled out a knife and lined it up with his throat, to the enthusiastic cheering of Rhode, only to be stopped by Bard and Sebastian.

**“Now, there's no need for that. Just think of the horrible mess you'd make, it would take hours to clean up all the blood.”**

“Thank you Sebastian, you are so kind.”

Moaned Grell, kneeling at Sebastian’s feet with watery eyes. Bard asked Mey-Rin and Finny if that was nice, to which they both vigorously shook their heads no.

Sebastian then instructed Grell on the appropriate way to brew tea, while the Phantomhive trio took notes.

As Ciel enjoyed his new cup of tea, Sebastian checked his stopwatch.

**“Master it is almost time to go. I have the carriage pulled up in the front drive.”**

“Fine.”

**“As for the rest of you, I want the manor spotless when we return. Do not embarrass house Phantomhive in front of our guests. Grell perhaps you should just sit there and relax, so you don't cause anymore trouble.”**

Turning to walk out the room, Sebastian stopped at a thought.

**“And Grell, if you** **_do_ ** **seek your eternal rest, please do so outside the Manor grounds.”**

As Sebastian walked away Grell, still on his knees, whispered praises with watery eye.

“Such intelligence, such compassion, so kind.”

* * *

 

“The Funtom company. The maker of toys and confections, has grown rapidly in the last 3 years; and this estate testifies to that prosperity.”

Stated Grell as he trimmed the hedges, of the Phantomhive’s massive front yard. “The manor is magnificent, don't you think?”

Bard, resting on the lawn beside Grell, lit his cigarette, and then spoke around it. Lenalee, who was using Mey-Rin as a spotter, paused in her first arabesque to listen to the conversation.

“You know it's only been around for about 2 years now.”

“Odd, but it looks so stately and dignified.”

“Of course it does, that was the intention.”

Grell whipped around to face the new voice, only to come face to face with a full grown Tanaka. Kanda stopped doing pushups, with Rhode resting on his back, to listen to Tanaka as he continued.

“This manor was specifically built to be an exact replica of the previous one. It is identical in every single detail, from the window pane to the stairway, and even the cracks in the pillars.”

“ _ Identical? _ ”, parroted back a still shell-shocked Grell.

“The previous manor burned down 3 years ago. The entire estate was engulfed in flames, it was a great tragedy.”

“I see. Forgive me for asking, but did Master Ciel’s parents….”

“Yes. Sadly, they both perished in the fire.”

“How terrible, that poor boy!” Grell said hastily, as he restarted trimming the hedges. He jumped when Tanaka popped back into chibi form, so Bard explained his lack of stamina while Kanda restarted his pushups, to Rhode’s immense enjoyment.

Mey-Rin screamed, letting go of Lenalee as she back flipped away from the noise, and pointed at the hedges. Finny looked up from a weed to see what had caused the scream, and froze in terror at the sight of skulls hedges everywhere.

“Why are they all skulls?!”

“Yet again, I've made yet another terrible mistake!”

Screamed Grell as he ran from the Phantomhive staff towards a tree. Rhode giggled from her position on Kanda’s back.

“I like it this way, brings a little death back into the manor. What do you think Allen?”

“Although I appreciate your aesthetic, M’lady, Master Ciel will not.”

Flinging himself up a ladder and into an already prepared noose; Grell cried, “I can't go on any longer!”, while being chased by the Phantomhive trio.

“Stop trying to die all the time!”, Bard yelled while he and the other two tried to stabilize the ladder. 

Rhode jumped off Kanda, who immediately switched to sit ups, and held up her hand to cover her grin.

“But I have to, it's the only way to redeem my honor.” 

Grell screeched, until a dainty hand pulled the ladder down. Grell quickly turned red, then blue, and then passed out; at which point the Phantomhive trio screamed his name in panic and Rhode skipped over to introduce herself to the girl in the orange dress.

* * *

 

Ignoring the skull garden, Sebastian opens the door, and steps aside to allow Ciel to enter first. Ciel, however, freezes in the threshold.

The entire foyer had been redecorated with flamboyant, silk ribbons and stuffed animals. The walls were covered in stickers of smiling animals and various shapes, and the floor had been given a light dusting of glitter.

“My mansion!!”

**“What happened to this place? Why, it's a disaster.”**

At the sound of their echoing voices, the Phantomhive trio rushed into the foyer with varying expressions of fear and anger and clung onto Sebastian in desperation. 

Finny was not only decked out in bunny ears, bunny hairclips and bunny gloves, but also wearing a pair of orange briefs with a bunny tail installed just above the seat of the trousers. Mey-Rin had not changed, but Bard was now sporting a baby blue, baby bonnet and a matching bib.

**“What is going on here, and why on earth are you all dressed like lunatics?!”**

Clenching onto Sebastian's collar, Bard growled a hair's breadth from Sebastian’s bangs.

_ “ _ It’s that  _ girl. _ She's crazy,  _ crazy!” _

“ _ Who _ is crazy?” Ciel asked before he heard a strangling sound coming from the room his servants were just in.

Rushing in, with Sebastian right behind him, Ciel was immediately affronted with the sight of Grell  _ hanging _ from the ceiling, stylishly covered in ribbons and bows to mimic a dress and headband.

“What are you doing  _ now _ ?”

“I believe I am in the process of asphyxiating until I die, master Ciel.”, rasped Grell as he swung from the ceiling. 

Ciel sighed, told Sebastian to take him down, and was about to call for Rhode, when a blonde haired girl burst into the room and glomped Ciel.

“Ah! CIEL!!! I've missed you so much!!!”

“Elizabeth?!”

“Ah Ciel, I've told you to call me Lizzy!”, giggled Lizzy, as she squeezed Ciel into her bosom. 

Cuddling him fiercely, Lizzy continued to coo at the immediately overwhelmed Ciel. 

“You really are the cutest boy! I could really just eat you up! Aw, my darling Ciel!!”

Sebastian, still holding Grell by the nape of his neck, walked over and cleared his throat at her indecency. 

**“Lady Elizabeth.”** , said Sebastian with a chastising lilt in his voice. Lizzy released Ciel, who immediately sagged in on himself, to face Sebastian head on with her cutest voice.

“Oh, hello Sebastian, how are you? Aww, you took him down.”

**“Yes, he subtracted from the beauty of the room.”**

“Really? I made such a lovely decoration out of him.”

**“A… decoration?”**

“Yes! Just look at all! Isn't the salon so cute now?”

“Ugh. My mansion; it's so  _ pink.” _

“From now on, only the cutest things belong in the Phantomhive Manor! Don't you agree Antoinette?”

“Ho ho ho?” Tanaka whispered from the corner, with a giant blonde wig and a pink scarf placed on his head.

**“Oh, and Tanaka as well…”**

“Don't worry, I have a present for you too!”, giggled Lizzy as she slammed a pink bonnet with a complementary flower clip onto Sebastian's head. 

Sebastian’s shocked expression, coupled with the girly bonnet and flower clip, sent the Phantomhive trio into fits of stifled giggles until Sebastian’s glare forced them to regain their composure immediately.

“In any event, what are you doing here Lizzy? Auntie didn't let you come alone.”

Running over to hold Ciel’s hands, Lizzy stage whispered. “I sneaked away because I wanted to see you, silly!”

“You sneaked away?! Don't you think you'll get into trouble?!”

Grell marveled at the concern in Ciel's voice,  and shifted his glasses. “Um, who is this girl?”

**“She is the daughter of the Marquess of Scotney. Her full Christian name is, Lady Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Midford of Scotney. She is actually my young master's betrothed of several years.”**

“In other words, she's Ciel’s  _ fiance _ .” Comes a female voice from above them. Allen jumps down from the ceiling, carrying Rhode bridal style, and Lenalee and Kanda pop in from the foyer.

The Phantomhive trio, already used to Rhode appearing out of nowhere, freak out at the news of Lizzy being the future Mistress of the Phantomhive’s Estate. Sebastian boredly sasses them quiet again, with the  _ ‘Nobles marry other nobles’ _ logic; while Rhode introduces Lenalee and Lizzy to one another.

“Ooh! I know! Since the Manor is decorated up so pretty, why don't we have a ball tonight?” Grabbing Ciel’s hand, Lizzy starts to spin them around and around. “You can be my escort and we'll dance around all night. Isn't that a wonderful idea?!”

“A ball?! No!!!” 

“You'll wear the clothes I picked out for you, won't you? Pretty please, they'll be so cute on you!”

“Listen here, I don't want to-” 

“And of course I'll be dressed to the nines as well. You come with me, I want to make you even cuter than you already are!”

Lizzy gripped the noose around Grell neck and took off, dragging him behind her. Ciel yelled his disagreement at her quickly retreating back, to no avail. 

Lenalee giggled, while Allen bit his lip and deliberately looked away. Rhode however, swooned with false attraction.

“A girl after my own heart, that one.”

“If I may, M’lady, though your style seems quite different, your brutish attitudes seem well aligned. If you were to open your wardrobe, you may make fast friends yet, Miss.

“Encouraging, Allen, really encouraging. Let's give it a shot!”

Rhode skipped away, deaf to Ciel's pleas, with Lenalee close behind her. Allen bowed as Ciel stomped up the stairs, but stopped  and whispered to Sebastian.

“Krory and Miranda have made a Ginger & Chamomile brew as well as an Orchard Fruit pie. They would like to exchange them for  _ the Italian _ .”

**“Odd. How did they know, Master Ciel would have a headache?”**

“The Kamelot staff  _ may _ have aided Lady Midford in her decorating.”

**“Hmm. I see no reason to deny this trade. Master Ciel has no interest in the Italian since we used it to find the** **_rats_ ** **that were hiding out of sight.”**

“Well then. I shall take your staff to where my Mistress is calling, and prepare the foyer for a ball.” Called Allen, over his shoulder, as he pushed the four eavesdropping servants to the door.

“I don't hear Miss Kamelot, calling ya’!” “What’re ya’ whisperin’ ‘bout, with Sebastian?”

Allen and Sebastian ignored the four of them, until Sebastian realized where Allen was headed.

**“Why the foyer?”**

“We kept the young Miss from the ballroom, so the foyer will have to do.”

The two butlers nodded at each other and strut off in opposite directions. Allen dragged the four Phantomhive servants to the foyer where Rhode was now forcing Grell into a white handmaiden dress.

“What took you so long? Help Lizzy.”

Lizzy unpacked a pink sailor outfit and turned around, just as Bard ripped himself away from Allen. Seeing the stars in her eyes, Allen released the other three and recaptured Bardroy.

Allen pinned Bard down easily and asked that the ladies turn around to save their modesty; Mey-Rin, of course, did not turn around and instead helped put the skirt onto the severely blushing cook. Bard gave into defeat with a sigh.

“Your a lot stronger than ya look, Al. There was no need to get all rough, I would've done it.”

“After we had done everyone else. Miss Elizabeth wanted to start with you, be lucky you don't have on a corset Mr. Smoker. Mark my words, cigarettes will be the death of you, and no one will bring you back.”

Rhode broke up the resounding silence with a little cough, and Allen flew to her side. Allen diligently combed out her purple spikes, as she meticulously wrapped the purple ribbon around her toned brown arms and legs. Walking to her room, Allen returned with white poofey underpants and cutoff boots in a matching shade of purple. Her White Lily dress breaking up all the purple.

After Rhode was dressed, Allen helped Lenalee into her ballgown; to the extreme displeasure of Kanda. The dress was dark plum in color and was cinched at the waist, but Rhode had it made with a slit directly in the front that went up to mid thigh. Allen curled her hair into pigtails resembling Lizzy’s while Kanda pulled up her black silk knee-length socks and heeled combat boots.

Kanda vanished the minute Lenalee was dressed, probably to hide out with Krory and Miranda. Allen, however, chose to wear Finnian’s bunny costume, since Finny was now dressed as a cat maid, minus the giant gloves. Allen paired the outfit with his own gloves and a white waistcoat, and made his hair blend in with the ear headband.

Allen looked to be an actual bunny butler with bright orange briefs. Lizzy jumped for joy when she finished with Tanaka and turned to see Allen fully dressed up and awaiting further instructions. She dragged Mey-Rin away and they returned with Lizzy in a red dress but in need of accessories.

Rhode tossed Mey-Rin a hairband and watched as Allen pushed in the piano. Grell pretended to throw himself out the window in that moment but nobody stopped him. Finishing Lizzy’s ties, Mey-Rin stepped back to view her handy work and her glasses caught the sunlight and glinted.

After a brief debacle, Mey-Rin and Lady Elizabeth were broken up by a dapper Ciel.

“Ciel! You look adorable! That outfit is absolutely perfect! … Why aren't you wearing the ring I got you? The ring I got matched your outfit perfectly.”

Ciel sighed and gripped his glabella.

“This ring is fine.”

Stomping her foot and raising her voice, Lizzy huffed at Ciel with decreasing patience.

“No! It most certainly is not  _ fine _ ! I went through a lot of trouble to find the most adorable blue outfit, and that ring is not cute! Are you saying, you don't like the things I got you.”

Reaching out to comfort Lizzy, Ciel lowered his voice an octave.

“That's not it, This ring is-”

Elizabeth ceased her fake crying, and sprang forward in the middle of Ciel's sentence. Not allowing him to take it back, Lizzy rocked backwards on her heels and raised the ring high above her head.

“Mine now! Look at how old it is. The ring I got you, actually fits you, ya know.”

_ “Give it back,  _ **_right now_ ** _!!!” _

Shocked, Lizzy clutched the ring to her chest and took a small step away from Ciel.

“Why are you so angry! I worked so hard to make everything  _ cute. This ring is not cute!” _

Elizabeth threw the ring and shattered the cage keeping the gem inside the ring. Ciel’s entire face turned red with rage, and he swung to smack her. Sebastian caught his hand and placed his new cane in it.

As Ciel tensed around the cane's handle and ground it against his tile floor, Sebastian explained the importance of the ring to Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth went to apologize, Ciel threw out the remains of his ring and proclaimed that he was the head of the Phantomhive’s Estate with or without the family heirloom.

Rhode raised an eyebrow at Sebastian who frowned and shook his head. Tapping Allen, Rhode nodded towards the window and he disappeared. The servants were too wrapped up in watching Ciel comfort Elizabeth, to notice Allen reappear next to Rhode with one red eye and a ponytail.

Rhode nods in Sebastian's direction, and in a split second Allen was next to Sebastian, discreetly handing him a fixed ring before they took their places with their instrument of choice. Grell, entranced by Sebastian on the violin and Allen on the piano, began to sing the notes in his baritone, which Allen then paired his countertenor with to blend them better.

As Ciel and Lizzy danced around, Rhode and Lenalee also elegantly spun. Connected by their palms, as is British custom, Lenalee led them through a series of quick spins and sharp turns until it appeared like they were gliding across the floor. 

Mey-Rin watched Sebastian with eager eyes until she noticed Bard walking away, to lean against the wall with closed eyes. Looking back at Sebastian, who was watching Allen’s lips with increased attention, one last time, Mey-Rin asked Bard to dance.

After a couple of rounds the song ended, and Lenalee tapped Bard on the shoulder. Bard was immediately grabbed up by Rhode and dragged into a much faster waltz than the last song allowed, which Allen predicted as he began playing a faster song.

“May I have this dance, Meirin?”

“Of course Princess.”

Lenalee smiled, guiltily, before snatching Mey-Rin’s glasses off and dragging her into the dance. With Mey-Rin’s glasses in the other hand, behind her back, Lenalee spun them around the foyer rapidly. Mey-Rin was quickly distracted by the sight of the room spinning beneath them at such a speed, and forgot all about her glasses.

When the second song was finally over Lenalee gave Mey-Rin back her glasses with a grin, and walked her back over to Bard and Rhode.

“Forgive my rudeness, Meirin, I wanted you to appreciate my dance for what it was and not get the dizzy.”

“I enjoyed that a whole lot Princess Lee. Thank ya’ for the dance.”

After the dance, Miranda and Krory arrived with dinner and Kanda arrived with more Ginger & Chamomile tea. Lizzy fell asleep on her second cup and Miranda carried her to the carriage she would be sent home in.

Placing Lizzy’s head on her lap, Miranda waited patiently for Grell to drive the carriage. While Grell was giving his spiel to Sebastian, Allen and Kanda were speed cleaning under the worried gaze of Krory. Kanda had mocked Allen on his outfit and a contest had begun.

The Phantomhive household were shocked when they reentered the Manor, but Rhode, Lenalee, and Krory were not. The 9 of them watched as Allen and Kanda raced each other up and down walls as the swept up glitter and stickers, and tore down ribbons.

Ciel raised an eyebrow at the two Noble women watching the race from their chairs, and Rhode answered the unasked question with a roll of her eyes.

“Allen had a crush on Kanda after their first meeting, but it died when Kanda called him  _ “a half-breed not fit to serve.” _ That struck a nerve, so Allen called him  _ “a sinner obsessed with saints.”  _ Now they're like frenemies, or sparring partners if you will.”

Lenalee sighed as she unpinned her hair. Crossing and uncrossing her legs, Lenalee glanced over at Ciel’s staff and then back at Ciel with worry.

“I know not what they mean sometimes, but they respect each other even if they don't want to get along. They both come from broken trees not of this world. Though the trees  _ were _ growing in different  _ directions _ .”

Ciel startled as he comprehended their backstory. Ignoring his servants asking for less gypsie talk, Ciel spun to Sebastian and glared. As Sebastian’s smile grew, Ciel felt himself draining of energy.

Stepping away with a sigh, Ciel went to go take his bath and go to bed without a single word.

_ ‘The Manor will be clean in an hour, if the albino and the Jap keep going. I can relax in a bath and mourn the Phantomhive ring in piece.’ _

After his bath, while Sebastian was buttoning his nightgown, Sebastian bent down and placed the Phantomhive ring back on Ciel’s thumb.

*(Insert melodramatic speech about dead family here.)*

 

 

“That’s an order, stay here until I fall asleep.”

**“Yes young master. I'll stay with you until the end.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I can't do it, I could barely sit through it again without laughing. Ciel was 9 when his parents died, he doesn't even remember his grandparents for real, let alone any previous generation. Don't get me wrong, his parents screams are enough but he mentioned people he didn't know.*


	5. Seasons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It's due to the social season, where the upper classes migrate houses from manor houses in the countryside to their townhouses in London."
> 
> "Sometimes, getting away from the mansion can be a good change of pace. You may find that the answers you are looking for are where you least expect to find them. At least enjoy the peace and quiet"
> 
> Lau smirked, and drifted into the foyer with the vase still firmly attached to his hand. "Since you have come, it must mean the rumors are true…"
> 
> "The Queen's guard dog is on the move, correct?" Madam Red finished.
> 
> "We should just take afternoon tea or something and wait," Ciel said as if nothing was wrong.
> 
> When nobles and servant returned to Ciel's city estate, Allen preemptively opened the door for the aristocrats. He and Sebastian bowed and in unison said,
> 
> "Welcome back. We have been awaiting your arrival."

With Autumn closing in at a leisurely pace, Ciel had been contemplating taking the time to go visit the Phantomhive town estate.

Rhode, of course, leapt at the opportunity to show Lenalee around the city, and demanded that they come along. Ciel hesitantly agreed, with the condition that their more troublesome servants stay behind to watch his own.

Sebastian, Allen, and Lavi were steering the carriage up front, and discussing the effectiveness of nonspecific curses on the ordinary man, while inside Rhode and Lenalee were keeping Ciel company.

**“Do you find that curses affect all humans the same?”**

“No. I’m sure Allen will disagree, but the ordinary folk aren't as perceptive nor as strong as us who have gifts. They don’t matter one way or the other, and only really big curses get their attention.”

“All of God's children matter Bookman Jr. and you are not gifted, you are half-shinigami. Although Lavi is correct, in that only big spells or individualized curses catch the attention of the ordinary man.”

Sebastian chuckled so hard at Lavi’s pouting face, he had to hand off the reigns to Allen. When they finally arrived at Ciel's city estate; navigating their way through the throngs of people took longer than expected; Ciel was thoroughly put off from city living.

“There are too many people here.”

**"It's due to the social season, where the upper classes migrate houses from manor houses in the countryside to their townhouses in London."**

Sebastian informed as he opened the door for his master. Lenalee was mildly surprised, there are still so many things she needed to learn about European nobility and their customs.

"The late Phantomhives also participated in the noble customs and soon you will as well, Earl Phantomhive." Allen smirked as he gave a small bow.  
  
"The carefree slackers, at least my Father did work as he _migrated_. Though I can’t imagine how he managed with all these people in the way."

Ciel huffed proudly, in front of the steps, allowing the ladies to walk up the stairs ahead of him.

**"Sometimes, getting away from the mansion can be a good change of pace. You may find that the answers you are looking for are where you least expect to find them. At least enjoy the peace and quiet"**

Sebastian supplied with a chastising grin, as he opened the door for Ciel. However the inside of the manor wiped the smirk right off his pompous face.

The foyer was a total mess, with books, blankets, food, and old documents scattered in every direction. Inside the guest lounge, the first room to the right, were Madam Red, Lau, Grell, and Ran-Mau scavenging around the room like mad-men.

  
"Good greif! Just where have they hid the tea in this house?"

Madam Red sighed, as she threw yet another book onto the already cluttered floor.

"It's nowhere to be seen!"

Lau stated calmly, gesticulating though his hand was stuck in a vase.

"There's no way it could be in there!"  
  
Rhode raised her finger tips to cover her giggles, while Lavi and Lenalee locked eyes as the words 'peace and quiet' ran through their heads. Sebastian and Allen gave strained smiles with narrowed eyes. Ciel coughed loudly, catching the unwanted house guests’ attention.

"Madam Red! Lau! What brought you here, to my home, uninvited?"

Madam Red raced into the foyer and clasped her hands in excitement.

"My! You're early!"

Lau smirked, and drifted into the foyer with the vase still firmly attached to his hand. "Since you have come, it must mean the rumors are true…"  
  
"The Queen's guard dog is on the move, correct?" Madam Red finished. Ciel merely stared at the duo, before turning left and walking into the much cleaner guest study. Lavi flirtatiously introduced himself to Ran-Mau and Grell. Grell swooned but Ran-Mau merely waved, and Allen pushed them all into the study.

Allen unloaded the carriages and set the kettle to boil, while Sebastian opened the drapes and tidied the Lounge back to standard.

Soon, the nobles were sat down, and Sebastian served Raspberry Hibiscus Tea and Blackberry Cornmeal Cake. Servants hovering near their masters, whilst the nobles discussed Ciel’s newest assignment. Rhode listened intently to Ciel; she knew that the Earl was given cleanup assignments, and she wondered how those worked.

"Yesterday, at Whitechapel, another prostitute was murdered. It wasn't your

average murder; it was bizarrely vicious…No, you could actually call it 'supernatural'. The Queen is quite distressed at this."  
  
Rhode bit her tongue and stared into her pink tea, 'Just a year ago this same woman ordered my family to “ _remove_ excess prostitutes” from the city. We sent a few to Spain as maids, but we killed quite a few as well.'  
  
Allen, picking up on Rhode’s surprising guilt, then said, "The victim, this time a Mary Nicholas, was cut down by a special kind of blade. One that sliced her up completely, unhindered by any resistance. Her clothes, flesh, and bones were all sliced clean through, no tears or ragged edges."  
  
"The Scotland Yard and the newspaper reporters are calling the killer Jack the Ripper," added Lavi from his place behind Lenalee.

"Jack the Ripper?" Lenalee tested the strange title on her tongue. Ran-Mau seemed surprised she could speak, but Lau remained focused on Ciel.

"On her Majesty’s orders, I hurried to London to rectify the situation." Ciel stated.  
  
Lau smirked devilishly, "Will you have the guts to study the crime scene?"  
  
Ciel's eye narrowed, "Whatever do you mean by that?"  
  
"The violent aura that now seeps through that place," Lau rose up from his chair, Ran-Mao moving quickly to avoid being dropped on the floor, and caressed Ciel's cheek, "will call out to those of the same breed and eat into their hearts. If you set foot in that place, it's possible that you will become engulfed in the madness. Are you truly prepared for that, Earl Phantomhive?; you are but a child still."  
  
Lenalee seemed a bit unnerved from Lau's lecture, but Ciel hissed at Lau’s patronizing words.

"I am the head of the Phantomhive Estate; and I came here to avenge her Majesty’s distress. Do not patronize me."

The room was heavy with tension. The servants staring blankly ahead, while the nobles watched the staredown with baited breath.

Lau, content with Ciel’s response, purred as he stroked Ciel’s cheek. "That's excellent! Those are good eyes."  
  
**"Young master, shall I ready the carriage?"**

* * *

 

In the underground part of downtown London, a gang of nosy pedestrians surrounded a sealed off crime scene. Scotland Yard Police Force were blocking off all bystanders from seeing the horrid murder scene. Officer Fred Abberline, dressed in a black bowler hat and brown trench coat, ran his fingers through his short brunette hair while reading the case report. Hearing footsteps coming closer, Abberline sighed and looked up to see who it was.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Abberline asked nicely to the three noble children and their staff approaching him, "This isn't the sort of place good little boys and girls hang around. Hurry along back home."  
  
"Where's the victim's corpse?" Ciel asked, ignoring Abberline’s chastising.  
  
"Corpse?" Abberline echoed shocked, "What on earth are you talking about?"  
  
"Abberline!" A deep voice scolded from the shadows.From the alley, appeared the Chief of the Scotland Yard, Sir Arthur Randall. "What did you come here for, Earl Phantomhive? Who have you brought along with you?"  
  
"Is he an acquaintance of yours?" Abberline asked in disbelief.  
  
Ciel smirked at the Chief, "I came here to clean up the mess made by dawdling hounds," and then presented his letter from the Queen, "Sir Arthur Randall."  
  
Sir Randall clenched his teeth and grunted under his breath. Allen caught a few swear words, and covered Rhode’s ears whilst he scolded the chief.

"Now, now, Sir Randall, surely you have more tact. Earl Phantomhive has brought along ladies from respectable families and I’m sure my master, Earl Kamelot, would not appreciate such language used in front of his grand daughter."

"Hmph, as if I’d let any member of that accursed family tell me what to do. Most cases I've had in my many years of police work were caused by those monsters you serve," Randall growled.  
  
"It would behoveth you to hold your tongue. We _“monsters”_ work for the Queen. We also have long memories, and do not take insults lightly," Rhode hissed as she stomped over and snatched Abberline's documents from his hands and tossed them to the Earl.  
  
"It looks like there are no significant leads yet." Ciel mumbled, looking through the documents. "Adding up to the information Lavi's father, the Bookman, gave me, the culprit has no sensible killing pattern."  
  
Randall took back the reports and said firmly, "Scotland Yard is taking care of this incident. Don't stick your nose in where it's not wanted.”  
  
Ciel sneered and pivoted away, "Fine by me. Let's go."  
  
The Earl Phantomhive and his gang disappeared within the crowd, along with a woman in all red and an Asian couple.  
  
Madam Red, slinking up to Ciel, whispered, "What are you going to do?"  
  
**"My lord, I believe asking him would be the best option."**

"Yes, you are correct" Ciel replied.  
  
Lau gasped and asked dramatically, "Earl you can't mean…"  
  
"It's just as you suspect." Ciel said. At last they arrived at their next destination, a building that had coffins and gravestones for decor and a large gaudy sign that read 'UNDERTAKER'.  
  
"So where are we?" Lau asked randomly.  
  
Madam Red, who was quite irritable all of a sudden, roared, "You looked like you knew what was going on a minute ago!" Grell attempted to calm his mistress with whispered assurances and the promise of a soothing spa day. Sebastian waited until all was calm and then spoke up.

 **"This is the undertaking establishment of one of the young master's acquaintances. I’m sure a few of you will recognise him, but please control yourself."** **  
**  
"An undertaker; why would anyone here know him?" Madam Red inquired but was ignored to her silent displeasure.  
  
The nobles entered the building, insides was a particularly gloomy gothic room. It was filled with jars, coffins, skeletons, and models of the human body systems. "Are you here Undertaker?" Ciel called out, tapping a nearby coffin with his cane.  
  
A creepy giggle filled the air.

"I thought you would drop by sooner or later."

A ghostly pale hand with long black fingernails opened a particularly large gothic coffin, from the inside, which managed to spook Madame Red, Grell, Lau, and Lavi. "Welcome Earl." The same voice called from the coffin halfway opening, to reveal green glowing eyes under a mess of long silver bangs. "Have you finally decided to test out your own, special casket?"  
  
Lavi shrieked a bit, even with the warning from Sebastian, he had not expected HIM! He wore long black robes with sleeves that were a bit too big for him, a black top hat, and a creepy grin that never seemed to fall.

But his aura, the long silver hair and those long black fingernails made Lavi think without a doubt, that this guy, was _the_ Undertaker. The physical embodiment of Halloween and all things Shinigami.  
  
Ciel, who was unaffected by the Undertaker's entrance, scoffed, "As if anyone normal would come to do that. Today we're…" But he was interrupted by the Undertaker's hand on his mouth.  
  
"You don't have to say it." The Undertaker withdrew his hand, "I understand completely. That particular guest was in an unfit state to be seen by those from the world of light, but I made her all pretty, you know?"  
  
"I want to hear more about that." Ciel said.  
  
Lau nodded, finally catching on. "I see. So, being an undertaker is just your cover. How much is your information?"  
  
The Undertaker rushed over and leaned onto Lau, "I don't have the slightest use for the Queen's legal tender." His attention solely on Ciel, an eerie Cheshire grin on his lips. "Now, Earl, give me that which I seek. Bestow the finest laughs upon me. Then I shall tell you whatever you want!"

Allen was about to face palm himself, a good laugh for murder information. If only it was that easy all the time. "The weirdo," he murmured  
  
Lau then spoke up, "Leave it to me, behold my true nature!" He then proceeded to tell his joke, "The bed fled!" His really lame joke.  
  
Madam Red sighed and stepped forward, "I suppose there's no helping it. This Madam Red, known as the flower of social gatherings will let you in on her top-secret gossip!"

Grell fawned over her in admiration, while Allen and Lavi covered Rhode and Lenalee’s ears.

"So when the ~~_beep_~~ did that ~~_beep_~~ the little ~~_beep_~~ was totally ~~_beeped_~~ and they ~~_beeped_~~ and ~~_beeped_~~ and before ~~_beep_~~ …It was something like that."  
  
Releasing their young mistresses ears, Allen and Lavi took turns telling increasingly dark jokes and by the end of it the two were in tears, and everyone save for Rhode, Sebastian and Undertaker had backed away in disgust and fear.

Sebastian was grinning, arching an eyebrow at the softly giggling Undertaker. Who sobered up and shook his head no.  
  
"Good try boys, give it a millennia. Well then, the only one left is the earl! Last time, I lost, but I won't this time,' The Undertaker chuckled.  
  
**"I suppose there's no other way around it."**

Sebastian said getting in front of Ciel.  
  
"Sebastian?" Ciel questioned offended, but grateful.  
  
**"Everyone, please step outside."** Sebastian ordered adjusting his gloves. **"Under no circumstances are you to peek inside!"**  
  
So here the nine were, outside the shop with anime sweat drops on their heads. It was quiet for a moment. For a moment, until a high hysterical laughter thundered from the building.

Deafening and maniacal, the sign fell off the shop's roof. The door opened revealing a smiling Sebastian saying cheerfully, **"Please enter. It seems he is now willing to tell us what we need to know."**  
  
Inside was the Undertaker laying his head on a coffin, a dribble of drool hanging from his mouth. He seemed exhausted from laughing, and slightly more unhinged than usual. "I have seen Utopia."  
  
"Uh, Sebastian, what did you do?" Allen asked poking Undertaker, to Lavi’s intense displeasure.

Undertaker sat up and spun, quickly pinning Allen against the casket. One arm wrapped around Allen’s slim waist, and a hand caressing his scarred cheek, Undertaker slowly invaded Allen's personal space.

“Would you like me to show you? What will you trade me little Destroyer?”

Allen's eyes shone gold in response to his inherited title. Allen opened his mouth to sing the 1st note of his destructive symphony, but was cut short by Sebastian picking up Undertaker by the back of his collar and clearing his throat.

Glaring daggers at Undertaker, Sebastian suggested he get the earl and his companions some refreshments. Once on his own two feet, he set off immediately, giggling the entire time.

In no time the nobles were sat on caskets,as if they were benches, drinking tea from beakers. Then Undertaker began, "Recently, I've been seeing something every so often; _customers_ who have a little missing."  
  
"A little missing?" Lavi asked tilting his head.  
  
"Ah, yes little halfling, a little missing. Like a uterus." The Undertaker smiled mischievously clinging onto a human body model. "It was a pretty harsh splatter, but her uterus alone was precisely cut out."  
  
**"While it may not have been a largely populated street, would it not be difficult for an amateur to perform such a precise task there in the pitch black?"**

Sebastian questioned from behind Allen; who was devouring a jar of bone shaped biscuits, eyes silver once more.

"You're quite a sharp one Mr. Michaelis. I thought the exact same thing." The Undertaker wrapped his arms around Ciel tracing his jugular with his long black nails.

"First, to cut the prey's neck, then to cut here," he used his other hand to trace over Ciel's abdomen. "And steal what's important." He playfully poked the disturbed Ciel on the cheek.

"He'll definitely kill again. He's the type that won't stop until someone stops him." The Undertaker turned to Ciel who was silently staring him down. Lavi was sitting beside him, listening intently to the creepy man.

"Can you stop him, Noble of Darkness, Earl Phantomhive?"  
  
"I swear on my family's crest, those who dirty Her Majesty's garden will be dispatched without exception, whatever it takes." Ciel announced determinedly staring into the eyes of every noble present.  
  
Soon Ciel and company left the strange Undertaker in Madam Red's family carriage steered by Grell. "The story narrowed it down quite a bit." Allen commented, still with a hand full of bone shapes biscuits.  
  
"Just how does that narrow it down?" Madam Red asked, "Dissections are something that any doctor, even I, can do. Summer is almost at an end, too. In one more week, when the season ends, all the nobles will return home with the personal doctors they brought with them."  
  
**"Well then,"** Sebastian then said, **"we should just investigate until that time."**  
  
"What?" Lau asked.  
  
"It is only natural for a butler of the Phantomhives to be able to do that."  
  
Rhode and Ciel exchanged knowing grins, Rhode then inquired happily to the black butler, "Shall we see you at the manor Sebastian?"  
  
**"Of course my lady. Please allow me to borrow Allen. I will draw up a list of suspects immediately but going through everyone on it may require some** **_time_ ** **and a** **_miracle_ ** **or two."**

Rhode smiled.

“Take him. He needs the exercise.”

Lavi opened the carriage door for Sebastian and Allen, who addressed the nobles with a bow before jumping out. "Well then, if you'll excuse us." Madam Red and Lau checked outside, expecting to see Sebastian and Allen lying on the road, but they had disappeared.  
  
"This carriage is going at full speed!" Madam Red shrieked incredulously.  
  
Lenalee gave a kind look, "Sebastian said he'd do it. He is very thorough with his work."  
  
"We should just take afternoon tea or something and wait," Ciel said as if nothing was wrong.  
  
When nobles and servant returned to Ciel's city estate, Allen preemptively opened the door for the aristocrats. He and Sebastian bowed and in unison said,

_"Welcome back. We have been awaiting your arrival."_

Ciel and Rhode entered as the aristocrats and Grell stared deadpanned in the doorframe. "The preparations for afternoon tea have been made."  
  
Madam Red hissed, "You…Why are you two here?"  
  
"We finished the business we were  attending to, so we returned ahead of you."

Allen explained, whilst pouring tea for the nobles.  
  
"You already drew up the list?" Madam Red gasped, accepting her cup.  
  
**"No. I made a list of potential suspects based on the facts we were addressing earlier, and then Allen went and directly questioned them all."**

Sebastian pulled out three scrolls of paper. Rhode turned and listened intently, wanting to hear the suspects.  
  
Madam Red snorted, "Sebastian, that is a little too far-fetched for anyone to-"  
  
Sebastian opened one of the scrolls and began reading it.

**"Earl Bailey's doctor, Richard Oswald, was with friends in a Whitehouse pub. He has an alibi, and no sect connections. The surgeon of the Royal London Central Hospital, Madam Haywhite was talking to Boey at Steep Line, and thus has an alibi. The personal doctor of the Chambers household, William Samset, attended the Howard family party and there has an alibi."**

As Sebastian went through all the suspected doctors and surgeons, Ciel sat smirking. Rhode, Lau and Lavi were half listening, Grell and Lenalee were staring in admiration while listening intently, and Madam Red looked flabbergasted and blank.  
  
After Sebastian went though all three long lists, he finished.

 **“No connections to any sects. That concludes my research. I have narrowed those who fit all the conditions down to a single other person."**  
  
Madam Red shook her head, "I know Allen was trained by the Kamelots but you were not. Are you really just a simple butler? You're not from Military Intelligence or something, are you?"  
  
Sebastian smirked and straightened his posture. **"No, I am just one hell of a butler!"**  
  
Grell blushed, “So cool.”


	6. Allure

The next night, a beautiful horse drawn carriage pulled up to an elegant manor.

Inside the carriage were Allen, Ciel, Kanda Lau, Lenalee, Rhode, Madam Red, and Sebastian; all dressed up and slightly disguised. Lavi asked to stay with Undertaker, and so Lenalee had called up Kanda to replace him.

Allen and Kanda wore simple butler's uniforms, though Allen had the Kamelot crest stitched in gold on his vest’s left breast, and both carried their choice in sword. Kanda had his sapphire engraved steel Chokutō, and Allen his silver coated broadsword.

Lenalee and Rhode decided to compliment each other with matching dresses; a knee-length ruffled poof skirt, smooth in the front, attached to a fitted corset with straps crossing over the shoulders and replacing the back of the corset; Lenalee in blue and Rhode in white, chunky heeled ankle boots, and a single ribbon headband each.

They sat juxtaposed to Madam Red's modestly tailored signature flamboyant red outfit, and Lau’s traditional blue, red, and gold changshan.

Sebastian and Ciel were the biggest transformations. Sebastian was wearing a stylish tutors uniform, his left bang was combed behind his ear and a thin pair of silver glasses rested on his face to disguise him. He pushed up his glasses in a scholarly fashion, **"Aleister Chamber, of the Druitt Viscount family."** He stated.  
  
Lenalee opened her fan and covered her mouth, as expected of a noble lady about to engage in gossip. "Lavi informs me that the Viscount received his degree in medicine at university, but has undertaken no work. He seems to have held many respectable parties at his home. However, behind the scenes, he invites those whom he is especially close to, to secret gatherings."  
  
Madam Red added hauntingly. “There is a rumor going around that he is involved with black magic. It has been said that ritualistic events go on at those secret parties, and prostitutes are made into living sacrifices. And tonight is the last party of the season, so by reason it is the grandest."  
  
The carriage stopped, the door opened by an unfamiliar servant. Sebastian was first to exit the carriage offering his hand to Ciel.

A black gloved hand took it, revealing a pretty young girl in a frilly pink corset dress, a lace ribbon choker, dark blue pigtailed hair, and a frilly pink hat that allowed her hair to cover her left eye. The beautiful young girl was actually Ciel cross-dressing, albeit begrudgingly.

 **"This is your only chance."** Sebastian whispered softly into Ciel’s hand before standing and helping him out of the carriage.  
  
"Ciel, you're my niece who's come up from the country. Sebastian, you are Ciel's personal tutor. Lau is my guest, as usual.” Madam Red said telling the group of their parts in this infiltration.  
  
"Why am I your niece? And what about Rhode and Lenalee?" Ciel growled blushing at this embarrassing experience.  
  
"I wanted a girl! Plus Lady Kamelot and Miss Lee were already invited. It made sense to bring another girl.” Madam Red giggled.  
  
"That's the reason?" Ciel barked.  
  
"Well young earl, you make quite a cute girl," Lau said positively, Ciel glared at him and attempted to stomp on his feet with his pumps.  
  
Madam Red leaned over to Ciel and whispered, "If you were to be discovered as a Phantomhive, it would be bad right?" Ciel's face dropped. "Also Viscount Druitt is a real womanizer with a wide range of defenses. So this makes things easier."  
  
"Uh, Madam, I don't think that's actually encouraging him," Lenalee said looking at Ciel's repulsed expression.  
  
Sebastian grinned at Ciel. **"Did you not say yourself:** ** _"No matter what"?_ ****"** Ciel sighed in defeat with a weak glare at Sebastian.

The aristocrats dispersed to their prospective social groups; Sebastian following Ciel dutifully on his search for the Viscount of Druitt.  
  
Ciel seemed depressed, "Hurry now Sebastian. The last thing in the world I'd want is for Elizabeth to see me like this."  
  
As if on cue, a familiar high pitched voice was heard. "Ah! That dress is so pretty!" The duo turned away quickly, looking annoyed at the sight of Elizabeth in such a dangerous place. "There are so many people in lovely dresses! They're all so cute! Viscount Druitt always invites the prettiest girls."  
  
**"Young ma-mistress, please calm down."** Sebastian soothed trying to calm the shaky noble. He began leading the frozen cross-dressing boy away, **"While we still can, let us…"**  
  
Lizzie sighed, "That dress is so cute, too!" Her attention was at the back of Ciel's pretty dress. Ciel froze in that spot, fear and embarrassment on his face.  
  
Allen appeared and politely shoved Ciel quickly into the crowd, "Over there, for the moment young mistress."  
  
Lizzie looked around to where the girl her age in the pretty cute dress disappeared to. Ciel and the two servants were hiding behind a table with a large cake on it.

"It appears Lady Elizabeth frequents these parties in search of new friends and pretty dresses. Though, what were the odds she'd come to _this_ party? Talk about bad karma. Right young miss?" Allen laughed nervously.  
  
"If it was revealed that the head of my household had dress up like this…" Ciel said lowly.  
  
**"It would be an embarrassment to future generations of the Phantomhive as well, would it not?"** Sebastian finished for Ciel. Ciel grasped the table cloth, blushing madly and fearfully, while Allen bowed and vanished into the crowd.  
  
"Anyway, let's move towards Madam Red and the others," Ciel suggested.  
  
When they finally found Madam Red, she was laughing heartily surrounded by good looking men. "Oh ho ho ho, the epitome of leisure!"  
  
"Ah! Over there!" Lizzie's voice cried. Ciel flinched, Sebastian grabbed Ciel's arm. **"This way young Miss."** Sebastian said dragging Ciel away.  
  
Managing to pass by a waiter on the way. **"You, please give a lemonade to that young lady over here."** The waiter nodded. He stopped Lizzie and offered her refreshment, creating a way for Ciel to get outside.  
  
"Why do I always have to go through these trials?" Ciel groaned.  
  
"Viscount Druitt is as refined today as always," A woman swooned, "His platinum-blonde hair is like gold."  
  
Ciel and Sebastian peeked inside; a group of noblewomen were fawning over said handsome young man, with blonde hair, amethyst eyes, and a dashing white suit, who was currently engrossed in a conversation with a man.  
  
"Let's go," Ciel said.  
  
**"Yes my lord.”**  
  
Suddenly the orchestra began to play a waltz. The guests began to dance gracefully.  
  
Ciel frowned, "Damn. We won't be able to get closer like this."  
  
**"There's no choice. We'll have to mingle into the dance and head towards the viscount."** Sebastian said. He grabbed Ciel's hand and dragged him into the dace.  
  
While Sebastian danced Ciel elegantly around the dance floor; far outshining the half- drunk and less graceful nobles, but coming about even with the asian pair that Sebastian briefly identified as Miss Lee and her bodyguard Kanda; Sebastian spotted Viscount Druitt staring in awe and brought Ciel closer while Kanda danced Miss Lee further away.

Into the protective arms of Lady Kamelot, who was silently daring the Viscount to try her patience. Frightened, Aleistar spotted Ciel kneeling on the floor, gasping for air.

Sebastian knelt and offered his palm to Ciel. **“Excellent dance, young Mistress.”** Suddenly someone was clapping for them.

  
The two turned to see Viscount Druitt applauding them. "It was a dance as cute as a robin, young lady."  
  
They knew, Druitt had fallen for their plan. The game was afoot. Sebastian bowed, **"Young Mistress, I shall go and fetch some refreshments."** He bowed to the viscount, **"Please take good care of my mistress."**  
  
"Oh don't worry I will, the lady is in excellent hands." Druitt smiled deviously. Sebastian glanced back at Ciel who had just had his hand kissed, as is custom, and was discreetly wiping his glove on his dress.  
  
"Sebastian, are you sure this is safe for him?" Allen inquired once Sebastian made it to Rhode’s corner.  
  
**"Of course, now…"** Sebastian grabbed Allen's arm and bowed to Rhode, who waved them away while she continued to chat with Lau and an African man. **"Would you care to dance?"**  
  
Allen blinked twice and accepted. For a moment it was just him and Sebastian, getting into the proper position for a formal waltz. They moved as one, each breath a shared one, the music being amplified by Allen's very existence.  

Not one to forget the mission, every now and again Sebastian's eyes would unlock from Allen's and quickly fly to Ciel who was flirting his way around Druitt.

The 3rd time this happened, Allen chuckled thinking about how similar this was to this morning.  
  
**"What is so funny?"** Sebastian murmured as he prepared to dip him.  
  
"I'm just thinking about earlier today. Putting Ciel in that disguise and giving him lessons to be a proper _lady_."

 

* * *

  _Sebastian lacing the corset while Allen color matched Ciel's makeup, and Kanda prepped and pinned the hair extensions._

_Allen getting lost in Ciel’s determined yet pleading eyes and his angel cloak springing from his back. Kanda let out his aura to distract Allen from blessing the cursed boy, and Sebastian hums a part of Neah’s melody to bring him back to his senses by activating his Noah instinct._

_Allen collects himself and transforms into his Noah form and, as punishment, demonstrates how a lady should behave while Kanda plays his counterpart. Sebastian’s attention bounces between Allen and Ciel, he watched Ciel ti ensure the boy didn't ask to be blessed but watched Allen out of curiosity._

_Allen made a believable girl, with his shoulder length curly white hair, large silver eyes with thick white lashes, thin frame, and wide hips._

_Seeing as the job was seduction, Allen turned up his charm and actively tried to allure the two demons, whilst still acting the part of a noble woman._

_As a gag, Allen waited until Sebastian’s attention switched back to Ciel, to hum a lustful rhythm and exposed his neck. A grin on his thin, yet shaped, lips, Allen felt all 3 males in the room respond. Still grinning, Allen cut the song off abruptly and continued to small talk with a blushing Kanda.’_

* * *

  
Sebastian chuckled as he dipped Allen. Allen blushed madly, Sebastian’s nose had slid from under his chin to his shoulder.

_'Indecent!'_

Allen stormy eyes went to Ciel, to avoid Sebastian’s russet pair, who was looking in another direction. Allen's eyes widened when he saw Lizzie sprinting toward Ciel and Druitt. "Sebastian!" Allen said stopping the dance. "Lady Elizabeth."  
  
Sebastian was on it. Before Lizzie could get to the Ciel or Druitt, Sebastian had placed a large ornate dresser, that seemed to have come out of nowhere, directly in her path.

Sebastian, wearing a mask to conceal his identity, bowed low from on top of the dresser. **"I would like to display a little magic to all the ladies and gentlemen here assembled. Lovely assistant?"**

Allen sashayed out from behind the dresser with his hair down, and wearing a mask similar to Sebastian, Kamelot crest magically hidden; he was pushing a collection of sabers and swords in a cart.  
  
**"The gentleman over there, may I request for your assistance?"** Sebastian asked, his palm going to Lau.  
  
Lau exclaimed innocently astonished, "Me? That would be fine."  
  
Viscount Druitt put a hand on his chin, "I don't recall organizing any little tricks."  
  
'Now's the time!' Ciel thought. He then said in a high pitch voice, "Viscount, I am already bored with seeing small sleights of hand, so you know…?" Ciel made himself smaller and watched his foot twirl his heel the way Lizzy did when she wanted something.  
  
"I understand my little robin." Druitt said gracefully lifting Ciel's chin to make eye contact briefly before walking away. Ciel flinched and began to sweat a bit more. Druitt led Ciel inside another dark room.  
  
**"Once I have entered, please lock it up securely with the chain lovely assistant."** Sebastian instructed to Allen.  
  
"Of course, sir." Allen said, in a soft feminine voice holding up a chain with padlocks on it with a small curtsy.  
  
**"Then, please skewer the wardrobe to the best of your ability.”** Sebastian told Lau thrusting a sword from the rack at Lau for emphasis. He entered the wardrobe.

 **"Let this proceed splendidly."** Sebastian said cheerfully, **"There are no tricks or traps. Please bear witness to this rare glimpse of magic."**

He shut the dresser door and Allen quickly wrapped the wardrobe in chains and padlocks. He flamboyantly locked the final padlock, with his hips posed outward to the audience, using a golden key and gave Lau a thumbs up and a flirtatious wink.  
  
Lau looked at the blade he was handed. "Well then, without hesitation, I shall…" Lau jumped high and precisely stabbed the wardrobe from above. This surprised many of the aristocratic guests including Lenalee, who had written the large aura as residuals from Ran Mao.

With much force and grace, Lau began stabbing the wardrobe in random spots deeply until he ran of swords. Everyone gasped in amazement as even the industrial chains broke off.  
  
Lau released a deep breath, after he lodged the last sword into place, as Allen simultaneously backflipped over the dresser and landed in a handstand. Using the toe of his heeled shoe, Allen opened the doors to reveal an uninjured Sebastian. Sebastian smugly stepped out and daintly pushed Allen by the ankle, who then flipped right side up.

The three took a bow to their audience, but the cheers didn't stop so Allen curtsied, danced and flipped for the audience while Lau and Sebastian retired to their circle.  
  
“Amazing!”

“It's a miracle!”

“Real magic!”

“Acrobatics too”

“Is she from a circus that makes girls wear pants?”

“ _Is_ that a girl?”  
"Bravo!"  
  
Even Madam Red was amazed. "That's amazing, Sebastian!"  
  
"Really, for a moment there, I thought I might have done you in." Lau admitted sheepishly.  
  
**"That was somewhat intelligent. I did not anticipate you coming immediately from above."** Sebastian praised Lau. **"Had it not been me, that would have been fatal."**  
  
"Wait Sebastian, you mean it could've killed someone else!" Lenalee demanded, holding her hands to her face in shock.  
  
Lau sighed, "So, what kind of trick was it?"  
  
Madam Red roared, "You don't know after you stabbed him that much?"  
  
**"I told you didn't I?"** Sebastian grinned ear to ear, looking mysteriously charming. **"There were no tricks or traps. Just magic."**

* * *

 

  
Ciel awoke in a cage. He remembered blacking out when he was entering a room that had a sickeningly sweet scent in it.

He felt that he was missing his hat, leaving his eye unmasked. He was blindfolded and bound in rope.  
  
He blushed, recalling Sebastian, Allen, and Kanda helping him put on his disguise earlier during his unconsciousness. Allen made him feel weird, like he wanted Allen to save him from something.

 _‘A dream or a memory?'_  
  
He then heard Viscount Druitt's voice. "And now, for the much-anticipated main event of the night."  
  
Nobles wearing masquerade masks ooh'd and ahh'd when Viscount Druitt unveiled the caged and blindfolded noble. "You may appreciate, enjoy, and treasure her. That will make the ritual shine even more. It is up to the customer if we sell her whole or in pieces. Her eyes are the contrast of a beautiful amethyst and a deep ocean."  
  
'An underground auction?' Ciel guessed.  
  
"I shall reveal them now." Viscount Druitt then announced.  
  
'So, this man sold off the organs of the prostitutes here' Ciel pondered as he heard the cage opened. He felt someone removing his blindfold quickly.  
  
"We will start at 1000 Guinea." Viscount Druitt announced the beginning of the auction.  
  
"2000!" A man called.  
  
"3000!" Another exclaimed.  
  
"3500!"  
  
"5000!"  
  
As the masked nobles were calling their bets, Ciel slowly opened both of his eyes. He was immediately met with the sight of Rhode sitting on Allen's lap in a corner of the room; a small chest in her own lap.

"Sebastian, I am here." Ciel said looking up to the ceiling. His contract glowed, as the flames of the candles were blew out by a busy of wind.  
  
When the room darkened, the Viscount and the other aristocrats all began to panic. Ciel's expression was blank as he closed his eyes to the sounds of people being hurt.

Ciel listened to the familiar sound of men and women screaming, without a bit of remorse or sympathy. The candles relit and everyone, save Allen and Rhode, in the small hall was on the floor unconscious and tied to each other.  
  
**"My my. You really have no talent for anything but getting captured, do you?"** Sebastian mocked dusting off his hands, before offering one to Rhode and helping her out of Allen’s lap.  
  
Ciel scoffed, climbing out of the cage, "As long as we have this contract, whenever I call you, no matter where you are, you will find me."  
  
Sebastian smirked, walking towards his young master. **"The contract symbol is a mark demons put on their prey so that we will be able to find and aid them, wherever they are. The closer the contract is to the eye, the stronger the enforcement."**

"I know that. I also know that in exchange…”

Ciel stared right into Sebastian’s eyes. His most trusted servant. A being that he made in his father's image and named after a dog. His demon, Sebastian Michaelis.

“...it becomes impossible to escape from the demon.” Ciel finished grimly, his marked eye glowing dimly. Allen felt his pentacle sting, but ignored it. He ignored his blessing and the desire to steal the boy away from the demon.

Rhode noted that Allen had a conflicted look in his eyes as he took the chest from her and walked her over to Ciel. His pentacle was above his eye on his forehead, so he had a bit of freedom, and yet Mana will always know where he is.

The miracle Mana granted Allen; to resemble both his parents; was no more than a spiteful curse eased by a child's yearning for their parents acceptance. It hurt Rhode’s soul to know that Angels thought themselves pure and intrinsically good.

They managed to get to the stage where, Rhode sat the cross- dressing boy down on the stage and folded into his side while soothingly caressing his hair. Her eyes glowing gold, Rhode signaled to Sebastian that she was ready.  
  
Sebastian kneeled at the foot of the stage, his head bowed to his master   **"Yes. I will follow you, no matter where you go, until the end. Even if this body is destroyed, I will not leave your side."**

He gently picked up the cross-dressing boy’s hand like a fragile doll. Pressing a kiss into the palm, Sebastian turned Ciel’s hand over and swore against the back of his palm, **"I shall follow you into the depths of hell. I do not lie, unlike humans."**  
  
"That is fine. You are never to lie to me." Ciel stared directly into his demons eyes.  
  
**"Yes, my Lord."**  
  
"With this, the case of Jack the Ripper is solved." Ciel concluded glancing at the unconscious Viscount.  
  
"Counting chickens..." Allen snorted ambiguously.  
  
Sebastian gave one of his empty smiles."Scotland Yard will be arriving shortly. Let us not tarry too long." Rhode forcibly turned Ciel’s head to hers and stole an open mouth kiss.

Eyes glowing more brightly than before, Rhode stole what Ciel deemed weakness. His worries, and fears; his creativity, and adjustability. Rhode stole his _dreams._

Sebastian picked up the unconscious Ciel and Allen picked up the lethargic Rhode.

Turning to Allen, Sebastian grinned. **“I felt you hold back your angel. I appreciate the effort.”**  Allen smiled at the acknowledgement and plucked off Sebastian's glasses. "Well then, let us go."  
  
The two butlers sprinted and leapt gracefully out of a window, their silhouettes ghosting in the moonlight. They landed elegantly on a rooftop, and vanished into a white diamond.

Elizabeth who had been leaving the party, heard the footsteps and turned around. She saw that no one was there as she rubbed her eye. "I'm sure I saw someone just now…Was it my imagination?"

* * *

  
A few days later…  
  
"Jack the Ripper strikes again," Lenalee read from the newspaper.  
  
"So, it wasn't the Viscount?" Madam Red said.  
  
Ciel looked perfectly angered and flushed about this. He went through all that hassle and embarrassment for nothing. Allen glanced at Ciel and then to Sebastian. "It seems that your guess was incorrect." He sighed.  
  
Rhode yawned and threw another scone at the cowering Grell, when Ciel ground his teeth in frustration. “Who are you _Jack the Ripper?_ ”


	7. Scarlet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eyes wide, she noticed the shadowy form of a man sauntering over to her. Shutting her eyes in fear, she felt the man undoing her gag, releasing her mouth. The man leaned forward with a finger over his grinning mouth. He shushed her, like a child shushes a baby during their a favorite ghost story. With a bone chilling grin, and lips painted red.
> 
> "You know, I love the color red. Hair, clothes, even lipstick. Red is my favorite color. That's why I gave those ugly whores a makeover with their beautiful red blood. I'll make you into an even more attractive man. I will carve you down to your inner depths scattering that beautiful rose-color everywhere."
> 
> A single tear went down Madam Angelina Burnett's cheek for the last time, for she had been dyed in her own crimson blood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rhode is very helpful in this story, which seems out of character but its not. She enjoys the games Ciel plays, and they both know shes a player disguised as a pawn. You'll see.
> 
> Also Grell is a girl. Her name is still Grell. Case closed. I wont change her gender, and I'll try to limit the transphobic/homophobic insults but not all of them since its ingrained in their toxic ass dynamic.

A record player. Hidden in the dark somewhere, playing the soundtrack to a beautifully tragic opera. In a dark room, lit by a single candle, awoke a woman gagged and sat tied to a wooden chair.

Tears welled up in her scared blue eyes, heavily painted over with cheap lavender eyeshadow and black eyeliner, as she took in her predicament. Eyes wide, she noticed the shadowy form of a man sauntering over to her. Shutting her eyes in fear, she felt the man undoing her gag, releasing her mouth.  
  
The prostitute peeked up at her captor and whimpered weakly. The man leaned forward with a finger over his grinning mouth. He shushed her, like a child shushes a baby during their a favorite ghost story. With a bone chilling grin, and lips painted red.

 

* * *

  
  
A horrible gloom had casted over London’s nobility. A day had come and gone since the arrest of Viscount Druitt. Though guilty of kidnapping and selling girls for occult reasons, he was able to not only prove he himself had not killed any of the girls but also that he was not the serial killer _Jack the Ripper_. A heavy downpour on the slums of London.

  


_Jack the Ripper Strikes Again_   


 

"This is not the time to be playing chess,” Ciel sighed at his aunt whilst moving his pawn forward two spaces.

Madam Red placed her own pawn forward one space.

"Nothing good comes of overexerting yourself. Why not leave it to Sebastian?"

Sebastian was huddled with Allen making tea for the two aristocrats, while Rhode sat, reading the case notes, on the coffee table near them.

"My staff and associates are nothing more than my pawns." Ciel answered moving another pawn forward. "It's me who gives the orders to each of them. Although, none of them are normal pawns."

Madam Red blinked, not following the tangent her nephew had created.

“You wouldn’t mind explaining what you mean, would you?”

"Finnian, for example, is a pawn with the strength of ten regular pawns.” Ciel swiped Madam Red’s row of white pawns off the board, with a single black pawn.

“Lau is a pawn who can crawl through the shadows on the board, with his past connections.” Moving his rook along the edges of the board, to take out the white queen, Ciel continued. “And Sebastian is a pawn that can get across the whole board in one move." The black knight took out the white king in one move. 

Madam Red startled a bit in surprise. "Isn't that against the rules?" She gasped, glancing at Sebastian suspiciously.  
  
"Yes it would be, if it were a game he were talking about." Rhode, tossed the notes on the coffee table, and folded her hands neatly in her lap. "However, rules hold no one real meaning in this world."

The Earl gazed over the chessboard. "There will inevitably be pawns who break the rules, and pawns who will disobey orders. If you let your guard down, for even an instant, you'll be in checkmate."

 

* * *

 

  
The music hit a crescendo. Mary Jane Kelly looked up at her captor. He held in his gloved hands red paint and a thin paintbrush. The ever grinning man gently painted the thick paint over her lips as if she were no more than a china doll.

The former prostitute; Mary swore if she survived she’d quit the nightlife; shook timidly under his ethereal shadow. Thunder crashed and she jumped a little; messing up her lipstick, causing her captor to draw over her face with red.  
  
His grin fell. A disgusted sneer replaced the manic grin, the madman was… unsatisfied. He grabbed the poor prostitute's face, leaning his own down. Thunder and lighting seemed to dance along with the opera soundtrack, for not only was his face finally fully illuminated but the room as well.

In that brief moment, Mary knew she would die a whore for hire. For, behind his beautiful face, sat a lone desk and on that desk was a case full of knives. Neatly organized and ready to be used.

 

* * *

  
  
"There should be many ways for you to live that don't involve being the underworld's guard dog," Madam Red said concerned. Picking up the black king, she cradled it against her cheek "My sister, your mother, would have wanted that for you as well."

Rhode scoffed in disbelief, and Allen turned to Madam Red in confusion. Ciel turned to Rhode, who glared her butler back to work before settling onto the arm of Ciel’s chair. Allen turned his confused eyes to Sebastian, who grinned at Allen and mouthed _“_ **_Later_ ** _.”_ Allen poured the tea they had prepared for the three nobles and listened to the Madam continue.

"Even so, the reason you have returned to this underworld, is that you want revenge for the death of your parents, isn't it?'

Ciel paused from drinking his tea. Allen glanced at the three aristocrats before dodging another glare from his young mistress. Ciel opened his eye slowly, harshly gripping his fist.

"Even if you exact revenge, it will not bring back those who have died, nor it will bring happiness to them."

He remembered standing at the charred remains of his old manor with Sebastian at his side; picking up his father's family ring crying for revenge. Meeting his staff, who rarely experienced the wanting of revenge, knowing it would never bring back their loved ones, and being envious. They lived to fight, for themselves.

Ciel stared at his family ring as he placed his teacup on the chessboard. Sebastian smirked as Ciel ran his fingers over the ring on his thumb. Rhode accepted her cup of tea with her eyes closed and Madam Red couldn’t help but stare at the young nobles as she took a sip from her tea cup.

Somehow they were a haunting pair. Without their more energetic betrothed, the two both commanded an air that could chill an entire room. They both had many enemies, enemies who wanted them dead, enemies that would either succeed or wind up dead themselves.

"I did it for myself in order to bestow the same pain and humiliation I felt upon those who betrayed us and sullied the Phantomhive name." Ciel announced looking his aunt in the eyes, breaking her from her thoughts.  
  
Madam Red turned mournful eyes to her nephew. Such poor choices her precious nephew had made. Shame, this was his life now, for it could only end in death. Madam Red sighed as she stood and walked to Ciel’s free side, "I still remember the day you were born."

She stood up and walked over to her nephew. "You were so small and fragile, you awoke my previously dormant protective instinct." With a sigh, Madam Red allowed the pitter patter of rain to transport her away.

"I was unable to have any children, but I like to think of you as my own son." Madam Red placed a hand on Ciel's head leaning down to his height. "If possible, I'd like you to take your leave of…"  
  
Ciel lightly smacked away her hand. "The reason I'm doing this right now is down to my own wishes and choices. I do not regret it, _NOR_ do I wish to be indulged out of pity." Ciel said glaring into the Madam's ruby eyes. "Not by anyone."   
  
It was soon time for Madam Red to leave to her estate. Allen and Sebastian were putting on her accessories. Sebastian threw madam's red coat onto her shoulders. "I'll be fine here boys." She said to the two butlers, but Allen stepped forward regardless.   
  
"Madam? " Allen said. 

“Yes, what is it?”

“Please excuse me for being so bold but… do you really believe that Ciel’s mother would want him to abandon his family duty?”

“Why of course! What mother could watch their child go down such a dark path? My sister was far too kind.”

**“Madam, I fear I may be overstepping boundaries, but I know you know that isn’t true. The Lady of the Phantomhive estate is often targeted by criminals, and as such only those noblewoman with an affinity for this lifestyle are chosen as bride candidates.”**

“Are you implying that Elizabeth is in anyway compatible with this lifestyle?!”

 **“Madam, please hold your tongue! To insinuate that the future lady of this estate is not fit for its nature, is to besmirch the choices of not only the previous Lord and Lady, but also the current Earl who intends to fulfill their wishes.”**

Madam Red glared into the eyes of each butler. He eyes somehow pleading, "Please do not stray from that child's side so he does not wander off his path and get lost." Sebastian gave a patient smile and nodded, while Allen grinned wide, but did not respond.  
  
Sebastian gently passed her to open the door, while Allen, still grinning off-puttingly wide, bowed her out of the door.   
  
Waiting with her carriage was Grell holding an umbrella for his mistress. "I have come to pick you up, Madame," Grell said dutifully and above him the heavens flashed, the storm raged on.

 

* * *

 

The night became late, Ciel huddled uncomfortably on his soft bed wearing only a long dress shirt and missing his eye patch while Rhode sat at the end of his bed waving a parchment around. He snapped his attention to the opening and shutting of his bedroom door. He looked up demanding, "Remove her at once!"  
  
Allen came in with Sebastian who was holding documents of their research. **"I cannot do this as easily as you demand, young manster. The two of them would surely fight me to the death. Surely you have realised they are not human."** Sebastian replied with a patronizing smile.   
  
"This is indecent! No; nevermind that! Are you implying that you would _lose?!"_   
  
"I believe he is referring to her Majesty’s wishes. You two were asked to get along." Allen chimed in from where he knelt on the floor, shuffling a deck of cards.

“Ordered; more like.” Rhode giggled, sliding a letter to Ciel. “That is the signature and family crest of your betrothed. That contract gives me free reign of your properties at any time, regardless of your state of dress or health, for as long as I am under your care. Seconded by the **_Marquess_ ** **Alexis Leon Midford**.”

Outraged, Ciel snatched up the contract. “Why would they sign something so indecent and disrespectful?! Who did you threaten?”

Allen tossed two cards straight into the air, and Rhode snatched them out of the air still grinning. “I threatened no one. I merely offered your estate aid from my estate as well as our protection.”

Placing the cards in front of Ciel, Rhode flipped them over to reveal a King of spades and Queen hearts.

“Protection you yourself now fall under as head of the estate. I think you’ll enjoy the benefits of this contract soon enough, seeing as this case isn’t over yet.”

Rhode picked the cards up and tossed them at Sebastian, who caught it and flipped it to reveal a single red Joker to Ciel.  
  
Sebastian chuckled and walked over to his master, placing the card in front of Ciel. **"No matter how many times I re-examine it, the answer is the same."**

"The viscount wasn't involved in yesterday's case." Allen finished, eyes glowing gold.  
  
Ciel ran his fingers through his hair while listening to their conclusion. "At any rate, tomorrow we shall…" He snapped open his eyes realizing something. "Sebastian…impossible!"   
  
Allen tilted his head, and Rhode grinned as her own gold eyes lit up.

  
Sebastian smirked, "I've told you many times, have I not? I will not lie to you. Of those with proficiency in the medical arts, connections to black magic and cults, and who lack an alibi at the time of the incidents, Viscount Druitt is the only one who fits the profile."   
  
Ciel glared and growled at his butler, and swatted the papers out of Sebastian's hands, letting the documents fly around his bed. “You allowed this farce to go on, while harboring this suspicion?”

 **"I am one hell of a butler, so I am faithful only to that which my master has ordered of me."**   
  
"For this confrontation, we have sent Princess Lenalee to visit your ally Lau at the ports. As per the contract, Allen and I are to be your sword and shield. Use us wisely Earl Phantomhive." Rhode grinned as Allen rose to bow.

**"As I am your pawn, I await your command. So, please. Young master. Move us into check.”**

 

* * *

 

Ciel, dressed in well-made commoner style clothes, attempted to blend into the alleys of London as an orphan boy. Sebastian, hovering close behind him, was wearing a simple black coat that allowed him blend into the shadows easily. Rhode and Allen were hidden on a low rooftop, watching for any movement on this overcast  night.

"He'll come if we hang out here, won't he?" Allen asked into a ring made of pale gold musical notes, and another ring next to Sebastian relayed his voice.

 **"Yes."** Sebastian replied.   
  
Ciel check the alley quickly and folded his arms across his chest leaning against the brick wall. "It's true that, among the prostitutes who were killed, there were other similarities apart from their organs having been removed."   
  
**"Beautiful, shimmering black hair,"** Sebastian purred randomly. Allen quirked an eyebrow at his magic circle.   
  
"But what was his motivation to kill them?” Allen asked aloud, while Road hummed a little song under her breath.   
  
**"That allure which could even be called sinful..."** **  
**   
Ciel continued as if Sebastian had never spoken, "And also I-"   
  
**"That wonderful softness. Ah that wonderful softness."**   
  
Allen slashed his finger through the air and the circle teleported to Ciel’s side. "It appears that Sebastian isn't quite listening." Ciel spun on his heel. He was surprised to see Sebastian cuddling up to a black alley cat.   
  
Ciel scoffed and scolded his cat-fetish butler, "Listen when someone is talking to you!" Allen tsked and snapped, drawing a circle in the air immediately after. A sound wave gently pushed Ciel back, taking note of the boy's cat allergies.

 **"I apologise. I was simply so taken with its rare beauty that…"** Sebastian trailed off in thought.

A woman's scream filled the air. This got the duo on the ground focused and the two on the roof on guard. "There’s your cue." Allen exclaimed leaning over the edge of the roof in anticipation.  
  
"Let’s move, Sebastian!"   
  
Ciel sprinted down the alley towards the sound, where a door swung open the door, splashing blood on his cheek. A bloodied, mangled, mutilated corpse that was once a woman lied on the stony floor leaking crimson.

"Young Lord! You should take a few steps back!" Allen suggested, through his circle, holding Rhode in his lap. Sebastian covered the Earl's eyes, and leapt away from the scene. He could feel the boy shaking all over, so he placed him at the entrance to the alley. Where the young lord proceeded to empty the contents of his stomach against an alley wall.

Allen sang a comforting melody, and twirled it around Ciel in order to calm his mind and his stomach. Rhode opened up a purple (pumpkin-less) umbrella as it began to rain again. Ciel was gasping, grabbing onto the alley wall tightly.

 **"You've splattered it around in a rather lavish way, have you not, Jack the Ripper?"** Sebastian said addressing the shadow stepping out of the house. Allen blinked and tightened his grip on the lady in his lap. He could hear the melody of blood, _so much blood_ . Rhode was starting to shake. She could probably see it from here; _too much blood_.  

 **"No."** Sebastian smirked as a gap in the rain clouds showed the identity of the culprit. **"Grell Sutcliffe."**   
  
The blood covered brunette butler of Madam Red stepped out of the house. Allen could barely restrain Rhode as she hungrily leapt at Grell, of all people. The meek butler had blood splattered all over his clothes and glasses.  _His dreams must be very interesting indeed, to make Rhode lose control._   
  
"N-No, this isn't…I rushed here after hearing the scream and I was already too…" Grell denied Sebastian accusation. He stepped forward, blood dripped from his glasses.   
  
**"Do you really think you can feign innocence when you look like that, Grell?"** Sebastian smirked. **"This is the first time I have met someone like you in the human world. You hide behind the façade of a helpless butler. You really fooled everyone** **_normal_ ** **, quite splendidly."** **  
**   
"Splendidly…" Grell echoed. Then Grell did the last thing Ciel expected him to do. Grell grinned, showing off shark-like teeth, and snickered haughtily. In a pleased tone he accentuated, "Really?" as he pulled the ribbon from his hair letting his hair flow freely. "That's right. I am an _actress_!"

She removed her round frameless glasses. "Quite an exceptional one at that." She pulled out a red comb from his vest and brushed out her hair, making it brighten from brunette to bright red, and placed long fake eyelashes on each eye. "But you aren't _normal_ either are you, _Sebastian_?" She whined while replacing her white gloves with black ones.   
  
Sebastian replied with a shallow bow, from Ciel’s side. **"It's the name I was given by the young master, so I am Sebastian. For now."** **  
**   
Allen cocked his head. Sebastian wasn't his real name. What was his true name? Focusing on Rhode again, Allen used his left hand to snap yet another razor-edged candle that appeared around Rhode.

"My, that's quite the subservient personality you have." Grell said putting on red framed glasses with skull chains on each rim. She pushed her glasses up her nose bridge to keep them from slipping. "However, I suppose that's also splendid in a handsome man like yourself."

Allen twitched at the grating notes in Grell's speech pattern, and was tempted to steal away her voice, but Rhode required his utmost attention. "Well then, once again, Sebastian… No, Bassy! She tossed some red strands behind her ear. "I will introduce myself anew! I am the Barnett family butler, Grell Sutcliffe. As a fellow butler, please treat me kindly," Grell blew an exaggerated kiss to Sebastian. Allen growled at the lust pulsating from Grell’s melody, almost missing one of Rhode’s candle darts.  
  
"My, I finally get to meet you without a disguise," Grell gushed. "I was surprised to begin with as it was the first time I had seen a _demon_ act as a butler.   
  
Sebastian sneered, **"Surely that is my line. For someone like you to be acting as a butler. You are supposed to be the neutral race in the balance between gods and humans: a Shinigami."** **  
**   
"A shinigami? Like a Grim reaper or a god of death?' Ciel finally spoke up in astonishment. _So they exist, like demons do? I need a full list of supernatural creatures._   
  
Sebastian nodded. **"Yes, exactly that."** He turned his attention back to Grell. **"Why would you, the judge of God, become a butler?"** **  
**   
Grell grinned, "Indeed…Shall we say, for now, that I fell in love with a woman?"   
  
Ciel  gasped. "Y-you don't mean…" Allen sighed in Ciel’s ear.   
  
Sebastian glared at the reaper, **"And who might that woman be?"** **  
**   
"You know that without even asking, don't you?" Madam Red's voice said. Out of the shadow of the crime scene was the Madam herself. Ciel turned to stare his aunt down, from the entrance of the alley.   
  
"Madam." Ciel said coldly.   
  
"This was beyond my expectations," Madam Red sighed whilst stepping next to Grell. "To think that there would be someone able to see Grell's true nature…"   
  
"Why do humans play so many games?" Allen asked. He was quite tired of all the pretend surprise and humans pretending not to have heard the supernatural revelations of the other side.

Ciel wiped his mouth. "You were on the preliminary suspect list, of course Madam. However, your alibi was perfect.  
  
Madam Red gave a sad smile and slightly tilted her head, "You even suspected me, one of your relatives?"   
  
"If the individual was capable of becoming _Jack_ , blood relations had no bearing. It was impossible for any human on that list to be involved in all the incidents. However, if the accomplice were inhuman, then that would change everything. If they were able to get into a room within a split second, without us noticing, and move from the viscount's home to the East End in an instant, then _Jack the Ripper_ could be none other than Madam Red and Grell Sutcliffe!" Ciel explained in full details.

"Among the victims of Jack the Ripper, there were other connecting factors. They all underwent specific surgery at the Central London hospital where you work." Ciel went into his vest pocket and pulled out a list of names. "Among the list of patients we compiled, the only one who had not been killed was the one living in that room, Mary Kelly. We knew that, if we loitered around here, you'd be sure to show up." The boy glanced at the corpse before continuing, "Though we could not save her…"  
  
"This is so unfortunate, Ciel," Madam Red sighed, " my adorable nephew. If you hadn't noticed, we would have been able to play chess again." Madam Red clutched her fists at her side, "However, this time, I will not give anything up!"   
  
A motor rang. A buzzing blade hurdled for Ciel. In a flash Ciel closed his eyes and opened them again. A large white fur cape shielded him, in front was Sebastian who safely caught Grell's weapon. It was a strange buzzing blade that spun around at an incredible speed. Allen had never seen the likes of it before, and yet he recalled its song the same way he always did. Sebastian pushed the weapon away making Grell swiftly flip into the air to avoid being struck.   
  
"What is that contraption?" Ciel demanded pulling Allen's cloak closer to him to block the rain.   
  
Allen explained from his rooftop perch through his magic circle. "Shinigami have a tool they use to examine people's souls. It is the Shinigami scythe."   
  
"Don't give it a lame name like _scythe_ !" Grell pouted. "I took such trouble to customize it!" She pulled the scythe up, "It's able to shred any substance that stands in its way. Only _I_ am permitted this _death-scythe_." Grell posed indecently, exaggerating the phallic appearance of her scythe.

"I was playing nice for so long, that my skills have grown rusty. It's been a while, so I want a good workout wiiiith yooooooou!" She winked and blew another kiss, shaking her flat bosom back and forth.  
  
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. **"Can you refrain from making such rebarbative comments? I am in the middle of my work."** **  
**   
"Ditto. I can hear your lewdness from here and it is not the most pleasant song." Allen growled. This Shinigami’s advances towards Sebastian, were incredibly irritating.

"My what a rude thing to say while hiding! However I can forgive you, my cute little Al! We share the same love, after all!" Grell swooned, making Allen cringe. "And Bassy! Ah! How stoic! I can see why Allen takes such comfort in your presence! That part of you pushes me over the edge, too!"  
  
Allen felt like he was definitely going to steal this girl's voice. She was so…indecent. But it was more than that. And how dare a Reaper call him cute! He leered at the red-head, from the rooftop as he pinned Rhode down once more..   
  
Grell stopped fangirling and stepped forward. "You know, I love the color red. Hair, clothes, even lipstick. Red is my favorite color. That's why I gave those ugly whores a makeover with their beautiful red blood." She readied her death-scythe. "Bassy, I'll make you into an even more attractive man. I will carve you down to your inner depths," She winked once again, "scattering that beautiful rose-color everywhere."   
  
Sebastian turned his nose up at the reaper, **"Shinigami are those who should only hunt down souls heading for death."** He placed his black coat over Ciel's head, while Allen called back his cloak. **"Butlers are those who should obey their master's like loyal shadows."** He turned to the red butler. **"Your poor taste, which violates both of those ideals, quite simply sickens me."**   
  
Grell grinned, "Oh my, Bassy! Even so, I am a butler to die for." She struck a defensive stance and her melody hit a rather entertaining arrangement, Allen had to admit.   
  
Ciel slowly removed his eye patch, revealing his right eye. "On behalf of Her Majesty, and my own sullied name, I order you: Dispose of them!" Ciel ordered, his mark glowing. The scar on Allen's brow throbbed as Sebastian's red eyes shined.   
  
**"Yes, my Lord!"** Sebastian said smiling. Sebastian pulled off his black glove with his teeth.   
  
Death-scythe slashed at the demon butler who dodged gracefully. "Ah! Splendid!" Grell cried happily. "Flee more! This is terrific, Bassy!" Grell continued to tried and slash Sebastian who nimbly dodged every wild swing.

He flipped above another swipe before Grell flashed behind him. Before the reaper could swing down, Sebastian caught it, guiding it to hit the wall behind him. Sebastian seemed to be having a bit of trouble keeping up, but he whistled a little tune. "See? If you don't run fast, you'll be shredded." Grell giggled. "Hurting you little by little will be most effective, won't it?"  
  
Allen bit his tongue at the distressed whistle, and released Rhode, who immediately used her umbrella to surf down to the alley. Releasing his memory as well, Allen dived off the roof. Landing in front of Ciel, Allen summoned another magic circle while Rhode hovered above the Earl’s head frantically whispering.

Madam Red drew her attention from the fight to this, "My Rhode, Allen. This is unexpected. You two are not normal either. Ciel, you and I have become guard dog and prey." She went into her sleeve. "If you're going to hunt me down," Ciel was staring at Rhode with wide eyes. Madam Red slipped a dagger out of her sleeve and ran toward Allen in a blinded rage. "There's only one way!"  
  
"Madam," Allen sighed. The dagger shattered and a sound wave hit the woman in the stomach, sending her back. A dagger shard sliced a shallow cut on Ciel’s cheek. Though only Sebastian noticed this, eyes wide. Ciel looked to her, "Why would you, a doctor…" He asked.   
  
"Even if I explained, a couple of brats like you would never understand!" Madam Red seethed getting up. She tried to grab at Allen, who grabbed her by the throat and tossed her into the wall. Unwittingly crushing Ciel into the wall also. Allen frowned, she a had a firm grip on Ciel, who couldn't move his arms.  _I am not yet used to protecting someone who cannot fight._

"I am a doctor. I know how to make nerves freeze for a while." Madam Red sneered. "A brat like you…" She tightened her grip on Ciel, who couldn't breathe with the wall pulling the coat down on his throat. "Like you…" She pulled out another dagger. She gritted her teeth and raised the dagger high. "You should never have been born!" She raised the dagger to stab Ciel dead in his heart.  
  
Ciel gasped, his eyes wide. For a moment, Madam Red swore she could see the smiling face of her beautiful sister once again, Ciel's mother. "Rachel!" Madam Red breathed.   
  
**"Young master! Allen, move!"** He moved forward, sacrificing his own arm to get to his master. Allen pushed Sebastian aside, and kicked Grell in her grinning face, right as Rhode appeared behind the sobbing Madam Red. "Rhode!" Ciel cried. Rhode sliced through the Duchess' cheek and licked the blood off the dagger-like-candle.

  
Madam Red lurched backwards, dropping her dagger to grasp her face. Allen stepped forward, releasing Grell, and stared at the Madam. Sebastian, panting a bit, gripped his elbow where is arm had missing.   
  
"Sebastian…" Allen said sadly.   
  
"My, Sebas-chan, you're so daring! Even at the cost of an arm, you went to save that kid. Your precious master." She strode over to Madam Red slowly. "Look at yourself in comparison, Madam. Hurry up and get rid of that kid!"   
  
"Shut up pest! Do not speak so freely in the presence of my Mistress." Allen stepped forward brandishing a giant broadsword, "Or I'll end your story here!"   
  
Madam Red moved her hands down from her sobbing face. She looked at Ciel. She saw her sister and her husband playing with a young Ciel and his dog. "My beloved sister…My beloved…their beloved little…I can't. I just can't. I can't kill this child!"   
  
"What are you saying after having cut up all those women?" Grell demanded frowning and shrugging. "If you don't get rid of that kid, you'll be the one who's disposed of."   
  
"Madam." Ciel said softly.   
  
"But this child is my…" Before Madam Red could finish her sentence Grell had stabbed her heart with her chainsaw. Blood spurted around her. Allen's eyes widened in pure glee and anticipation. He gritted his teeth. This reaper was dead meat.

  
Grell's green eyes narrowed in anger. "I am so disappointed, Madam Red!" She yanked the scythe back, sawing her upper body in half. "I have no interest in you if you're just like all other women!" Madam Red gave a silent scream of blood. Strangely enough, what looked to be film came out of her wound. Long film flurried in sky and around the alley.   
  
"W-what is this?" Ciel asked looking at the film. He could see the familiar scenes of last night's party on some.   
  
"These, little boy, are the memories of those who are scheduled to die by a higher power, played back to be judged. That is the job of us Shinigami. What kind of human they are, what sort of life they led, whether they should be allowed to live, to be killed…"   
  
"In other words, a flashback of their life" Allen concluded as he stepped back into a shadow.   
  
"Correct my dear Al! You are so clever. But, do stop it with all those horrible, old-fashioned names!" Grell brought up his scythe once again. "The dramatic pain. This is the true power of the Shinigami. Cinematic record." Grell shouted, grinning. Grinning a bloody grin, as blood poured from her mouth. Then a flash, as the Cinematic record pulled them in.

 

* * *

  
  
"Rachel, Angelina, please welcome the Earl of Phantomhive." _Our father said introducing us to the most handsome man I ever seen. He seemed infatuated with my hair at first sight; whereas I always hated the red hair I'd inherited from my father._ _  
_  
"Your red hair is truly beautiful, Anne." _My beloved told me the first time we met._ "It's like the color of liquorice that burns a landscape. Red suits you very well. "  
  
_I came to love the red hair I'd inherited from my father. I came to love red…I came to love_ you _._  
  
_But I will always remember what my beloved sister told me that fateful day,_ "Anne, I have something wonderful to tell you!” _…I came to hate the color red once more. However, I could never hate you. I married a man I became acquainted with at a banquet._ _  
_  
"Will it be a boy, or will it be a girl?” _He constantly asked me laying his head on my stomach._ _  
__  
__I'd titter,_ "Men are so impatient! I don't know yet." _It was different from what I had actually wanted, but…Even so, this time…it was mine._ _  
_  
"A carriage went out of control and hit someone! Someone call a doctor!  
  
_Yet somehow, it still drifted away._  
  
"Your husband passed away immediately, and, in order to save your life, we were forced to remove your womb and abort your child. Your internal bleeding has…"  
  
_Everything. That which I had loved, that which I was coming to love was dyed. It was all dyed in the red color I so despised. My sister was able to pass on with her beloved. If only my feelings had also been buried beneath the ground back then._ _  
_  
"Children are just a nuisance. You never know whose child it might me, and you have to keep things child-safe and can't entertain men." _She said to me. She wanted be to remove her womb surgically._ Me, _who lost everything…Though they have what will never again come into my life…Women who throw that away without a second thought…I will dye them red._ _  
_  
"Oh, you're the one from the other day. What are you doing? Stop!" _I will turn everything red with these hands._ _  
_  
"My, you put on a quite a show." _A bright red man laughingly called out to me. After a few months, my nephew, who had gone missing abruptly, came back._  
  
"Ciel!" _He brought along a butler clad in black. And soon a vast array of acquaintances with red stained eyes._ "You were all right!" _I was able to have one thing back._ “I am so glad that you alone were spared. Let me take a look at you." _The child of my beloved and my sister._ "That child came back, so why didn't he? Why did he end up with my sister and not me?" _This time I won't let anything be taken away. I won't give anything up._  


* * *

 

  
Thus ended Madam Red's cinematic record. Ciel felt silent warm tears go down his cheek from watching it. The Madam had harbored so much pain and suffering. So much taken away from her. Love, family, everything she truly needed.

Grell dropped to the ground, a slash across her chest. "I loved you covered in the blood of others, Madam Red!" She threw off her black coat and snatched away Madam Red's red coat. She placed it over her elbows, letting it hang. "To think you were such a ridiculous woman! I'm so disappointed. You have no right to wear red. The cheap show is now over. Goodbye, Madam." She then rose on wobbly legs and wobbled away from her corpse.  
  
A single tear went down Madam Angelina Burnett's cheek for the last time, for she had been dyed in her own crimson blood. Rhode stabbed her own hand and dripped her blood down into Angelina Burnett's still open mouth. Nodding at Ciel, Rhode unraveled into a hand-sewed doll version of herself and burrowed in the whole in Madam Red’s chest.   
  
Ciel leaned down and closed his aunt's eyelids. Standing up, Ciel took a deep breath and frowned. "Sebastian, what are you doing? I told you to hunt down Jack the Ripper. It's not over yet." Grell stopped walking. "Don't stand around. Get rid of the other one."   
  
Sebastian smirked. "Understood. Allen?"   
  
Allen nodded, "Of course."   
  
"I was going to spare you," Grell chuckled, until he coughed up more blood. "but if its your wish, I'll send you there, too." He revved up his death scythe and lunged, "All four of you will go to Heaven together!"   
  
Allen parried the buzzing saw blade with his own broad sword. **"Heaven?"** Sebastian smirked locking eyes with the halfa fighting beside him. The demon butler leapt behind the red reaper. **"That place has no claim over me and I doubt anyone else here would calmly go there."** **  
**   
Sebastian kicked at his head, which Grell managed to dodge at the last minute. However, Allen was able to stab the reaper, blood pouring from the deep wound that had doubled in size and went all the way through.   
  
"Ow ow ow! How rude to do that to a lady! Grell fumed crumbling to the ground, where Sebastian stomped on her head. "You gouge me and then just aim for my face, how impolite!"   
  
Allen whipped off his blade, cleansing them of the reaper's crimson. "Hmph, show me a lady then I'll be polite. Cause all I see is grim reaper scum." He readied his blade once more, "This time I won't go easy. I'll end your story." Allen said darkly.   
  
"Y-you scum of men!" Grell gurgled, from inside her pool of blood. "Do you really think a demon and a half Noah can win against someone who is like unto God?"   
  
Allen smirked, "Cocky, are we?" His eyes wandered with Sebastian's to Ciel and Madam Red’s corpse. "The Noah are God’s apostles. Where you are _like_ unto God, they are HIS _blood children_. I am not permitted to fail with the blood of the children of God and the purity of an Angel inside me. "

Sebastian smirked as well. **“Failure is not an option.”**


End file.
